1980s teen comedies finally get the parody they so richly deserve with Wet Hot American Summer, the first feature film from writer/director
David Wain and co-screenwriter
Michael Showalter, formerly of the sketch comedy troupe the State. It's the last day of the summer season at Camp Firewood, and as camp director Beth (
Janeane Garofalo) prepares to wrap things up, the staff of teenage counselors realize this is their last chance to do something about the summer romances that have been brewing for the past three months. Sweet but shy Coop (
Michael Showalter) is crazy about pretty Katie (
Marguerite Moreau), but there's the problem of her severely moody boyfriend Andy (Paul Rudd). Meanwhile, Victor (
Ken Marino) is trying to score with sexy Abby (Marisa Ryan), who is known to make friends easily, and McKinley (
Michael Ian Black) and Ben (
Bradley Cooper) attempt to keep their hot and heavy relationship a secret. Meanwhile, arts and crafts teacher Gail (
Molly Shannon) turns to her students for comfort as her marriage falls apart, drama coach Susie (
Amy Poehler) tries to whip the talent show into shape with Ben's help, and camp chef Gene (
Christopher Meloni) deals with his unique sexual quirks with the help of a talking can of vegetables (voiced by H. Jon Benjamin). Beth even finds time for romance with socially inept astrophysicist Henry (
David Hyde Pierce), but first Henry has to save Camp Firewood from a large piece of space junk about to re-enter Earth's atmosphere. Like Wain and Showalter,
Ken Marino,
Michael Ian Black, and Joe Lo Truglio (who appears in a small role) were also members of the State; fellow State alumnus
Kerri Kenney was cast in a supporting role in the film, but her character didn't appear in the final cut. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide