Directed By Brian Cates

Starring – Tommy Woodard, Eddie James, Leigh-Allyn Baker

The Plot – When two polar-opposite families are forced to camp together, the dads struggle to hold onto their families and marriages as they compete for the coveted camp trophy.

Rated PG for some action and thematic elements

Family Camp | Official Trailer | In Theaters May 13 – YouTube

POSITIVES

Under the disguise of a cleverly convenient trailer, “Family Camp” eluded the interpretation that this is in fact a religious movie, but not necessarily one that falls victim for all of the same tropes that hinder a majority of these films. The obvious exception in this instance is the religion itself, which here never feels manipulative or meandering in ways that undermine the necessity of its inclusion. Instead, the material is saved for a few key scenes where it can be imbedded seamlessly in the evolving dynamics of the characterization, with it also attaining a consistency in maturity that never feels contradicting or crass against the few characters in the film who don’t immediately subscribe to their ideals. Beyond this, the film also conjures a surprising appeal in production value and design that allows it to breach believability with this feeling like anything other than another cheaply confining religious effort. That’s not to say that the film is a technical marvel with spellbinding cinematography, just that the machinery used for the film, primarily in the color grading, makes it feel like it’s up to par in being shown on the biggest screen possible, enriching the occasion by staying away from visual cues that immediately alert themselves as a distraction to the interpretation that halts momentum before the story even has a chance to unfold. Finally, the palpable energy delivered from this ensemble is commendable at least, especially for the level of material they’re being asked to commit to with an overtly faulty script. This is especially the case in Woodard and James, who balance an impeccably evolving chemistry with a nuance to portrayal that makes their respectable turns blossom with authenticity, and in the case of Woodard, the perfect reactions as the movie’s straight man that you can’t help but smile at.

NEGATIVES

Though the film did exceed my gutter expectations with a few instances of commendable effort listed above, the majority of the returns are anything but beneficial, especially in the case of the sauntering screenplay. For 106 minutes of run time, this film is not only too long for the story it’s trying to convey, but it’s constantly reminding you of better films before it that bare more than a few striking resemblances here. This is especially prominent with “National Lampoon’s Vacation” or “Johnson Family Vacation”, two films with the exact same structure that at least entail with it the kind of characters and comedy that, like summer camp itself, doesn’t seem so bad with the right ingredients. There in lies the biggest obstacle with this film; it’s tragically unfunny. Sometimes that condemns the gags to feeling corny in its desire to be gentle-hearted and easy-going, while other times the sitcom style dialogue eviscerates the ingenuity of the character designs, which it spends ample time developing during the first act. Because it strays so close to the formula of the aforementioned predecessors, “Family Camp” never escapes the clutches of a predictable inevitability that not only had me accurately predicting every result of every arc an hour before they materialized, but also kept it from building the blocks of momentum naturally towards a third act tonal shift that is anything but subtle. During these moments, the film reaches for more of a dramatic emphasis in character uncertainty, which it doesn’t earn after spending the entirety of its run time as a slapstick comedy, resulting in the turn feeling every bit melodramatic as it does flat in registering such undeveloped sentiments that for the film’s climax have it seeking an identity that it never comes close to attaining. Technical merits aren’t free from blame either, as hollow, unnatural animal designs in the form of a nagging woodchuck (Add Caddyshack to the list) come into play during a few key scenes, and prescribe themselves as the heft less variety that influence very little about the dynamic of a scene or sequence that they adorn. The woodchuck and its movements would feel believable if it grew up near a nuclear power plant, but because this is in the heart of ‘God’s country’ it feels like one of those urban legends that tours are based around, with teeth so powerful they can somehow deconstruct a bridge by only chewing through one of twenty posts. Finally, I can give enough appreciation to the soundtrack of the film, especially in using “The Karate Kid’s (There’s another one) “You’re the Best” from Joe Esposito during a key conflict montage, but the accommodating musical score supplanted here from Nicholas Poss is among the most emotionally vapid that I have experienced in quite some time. While the problem is certainly the meandering nature of the tracks, bringing with them the nuance of a sherman tank exploding through a nitroglycerine plant, the bigger problem points to the film’s usage of such, often intruding on pivotal character interactions that build an important dynamic, but can’t be properly registered because the volume level and instruments used elicit something diverse from the integrity that the scene calls upon. This certainly adds to the weakening aftershock that I previously mentioned in the film’s third act tonal evolution, but I feel the bigger problem is the film’s inability to establish integrity within its engagements, in turn making it a difficult film to invest in, but especially one that you can take to heart for genuine sentiments it’s trying to call upon but can never attain because it can never be honest with itself or its audience.

OVERALL

“Family Camp” definitely puts the camp in campy but can never transcend itself as the rare religious gem because of constant issues its creativity lacking the proper motivation to endure. It’s an unfunny, disingenuine sitcom for the silver screen that is certainly nothing to write home about, and in the case of this camp leaves me feeling homesick.

My Grade: 3/10 or F+