Camp Nowhere 1994

Camp Nowhere picture


Jessica Alba child picture


Directed By: Jonathan Prince

Country: U.S.A.

Summary:
Summer's approaching, and Morris "Mud" Himmel has a problem. His parents desperately want to send him away to Chip-a-wa Computer Camp, also known as eight weeks of nerd hell. He hates the idea, and would do anything to get out of it. Talking to his friends, he realizes that they are all facing the same unwelcome vacation: a boring summer camp. It's off to a paramilitary camp for Zack (Andrew Keegan), a fat farm for Gaby (Melody Kay) and drama camp for Trish (Marne Paterson).

With his friends, he hatches a plan to trick all the parents into sending them to a camp of his own design. No rules, no stupid activities, no dumb counselors--just eight weeks of unsupervised bliss. Blackmailing former drama teacher Dennis Van Welker, best known for his notorious musical version of "The Silence of the Lambs" into helping, they convince the parents that the camp is genuine, and that they aren't allowed to visit... Everything seems to work perfectly, except that word gets out around school and before Mud can do anything, half his classmates get in on the scam.

The camp itself was once a hippie commune, but quickly--and with the help of their parents' money--the kids transform it into a kid's paradise, complete with water cannons, computer games and a wide-screen TV. Along the way, the children have fun (most of it fairly harmless), overcome hardships and petty squabbles, and find themselves. Even Dennis, who has run away from most of the tough decisions in his life, learns to stand up and take responsibility like a real grown-up. In the end, the kids get busted, and after the parents freak out, things return to normal, or do they...

Reviews:
The history of the teen summer camp movie is far from exalted, and the opening moments of "Camp Nowhere" may make you fear that it's another "Meatballs." Oddly enough, though, it turns out to be nothing of the sort. Instead of the usual coming-of-age coarseness, this celebration of kid power is a rather tame affair. It's sweet, likable and even vaguely hip. It's a relief to see a children's film that portrays kids as resourceful and self-reliant.

Directed by Jonathan Prince, "Camp Nowhere" is old-fashioned and borderline corny, but here and there the comedy turns delightfully weird. For example, Parents' Day includes a hilarious kids' production of a scene from "A Streetcar Named Desire" as part of what the campers call "Tennessee for Tots."

Maybe "Camp Nowhere" is more easily praised for what it isn't than for what it is. Still, it's not half bad.

Starring:
Jonathan Jackson, Christopher Lloyd, Andrew Keegan, Marne Patterson, Melody Kay, Raymond Baker, And More...

Screenwriters: Andrew Kurtzman, Eliot Wald

Studio: Buena Vista / Walt Disney Pictures

Production Company: Lucky Mud Productions, Hollywood Pictures
Genre: Comedy / Family / Adventure / Camp

Running Time: 96 minutes

Language: English

links: campnowhere.com