A 2003 teen musical comedy-drama film written and directed by Todd Graff, set at a summer performing-arts camp in upstate New York.
School's out, and for the teens at Camp Ovation, that could not be a better thing.
Ellen (Joanna Chilcoat) has had trouble getting a date to the prom, even having had to go so far as asking her own brother. Michael (Robin de Jesús) was beaten horribly after attending his prom in drag. Neither expects that their time at Camp Ovation will result in what turns out to be one weird love triangle with Naïve Newcomer Vlad (Daniel Letterle). Meanwhile, nerdy girl Fritzi (Anna Kendrick) attempts to befriend camp diva Jill (Alana Allen), only to find herself toting Jill's luggage. Then there's poor Jenna (Tiffany Taylor), whose mouth has been wired shut by her parents in an effort to get her to lose weight.
All six are in for one hell of a summer.
This movie contains examples of:
- Abusive Parents: Jenna's father comes very, very close. Her mother seems supportive but is overshadowed by a domineering husband. Her dad also only begrudgingly applauds her after her big solo, which suggests he doesn’t like seeing her succeed.
- Hell, many of the kids' parents come across as this, or at least Jerkasses. Michael and Ellen’s dads are both very cruel while their mothers would support them if not for implied fear of their husbands. Jenna’s mom is the only one who attempts to stand up for her child.
- The Alcoholic: Washed-up composer Bert Hanley
- Alpha Bitch: Jill
- Ambiguously Gay: Fritzi seems really into Jill and comes off as someone wanted revenge for her affection not be requited
- Anna Kendrick later mentionned how as a more mature actress she would love to have explored the sexual aspects of Fritzi's ambiguous relationship with Jill.
- Bastard Understudy / The Dog Bites Back: Fritzi
- Later in the movie, during the camp's end-of-season benefit performance, Jenna, once guest composer Bert Hanley and camp director Glen remove the wires to her jaw, allowing her to belt "Here's Where I Stand" right to her parents' face, at full power.
- The Cameo: Stephen Sondheim appears as himself.
- Camp Gay: Most of the guys at Camp Ovation, though Michael's probably the most flamboyant.
- Diegetic Musical: All the musical performances all take place In-Universe, which makes sense as it takes place at a performance arts summer camp.
- Kick the Dog: Just when we start to feel a little too sorry for Fritzi for being bullied by Jill, we’re treated to a scene of her ruthlessly fat-shaming an unpopular chorus girl.
- No Bisexuals: Played with. After Michael seduces Dee, he muses that while although he is capable of having sex with a woman, he doesn't necessarily enjoy it, and wishes it was something he hadn't explored so he isn't tempted to hide in a heterosexual relationship when it gets too hard for him to be out.
- Ellen full on yells at him that “There is no such thing as bisexuality,” despite her being one of the more open-minded characters.
- What Does She See in Him?: Vlad is manipulative, self-absorbed, shows himself capable of cheating on a girlfriend, and not even that talented compared to the other kids at camp, yet both Ellen and Michael are obsessed with him and Ellen even agrees to continue dating him after camp despite what he put her through.
