Of the 90 kids at Wisconsin's Swift Nature Camp, directors Bradley Beesley ("Fearless Freaks") and Sarah Price ("American Movie") find their two extremes in Cameron, an overweight outcast who cries for mommy each night, and Holly, a sweet introvert who has withdrawn into a world of chickadee appreciation after the death of her father. When not focusing on these personalities, their documentary fights a losing battle to be hip. Even The Flaming Lips' quirky songs fail to impose any irony upon the random activities of a summer camp.
For those who enjoyed the camping experience as a youth, the movie, with its marshmallow roasts, canoe rides and talent shows, offers a bit of nostalgia. Others may find the whole thing a little pointless. Some of the more interesting bits, including a boy who gets a hook in his eye while fishing, aren't given enough screen time.
There is also a briefly interesting discussion on the medication of troubled kids (can an 8-year-old be diagnosed as bipolar?). Mostly, though, "Summercamp!
" shows us a bunch of clumsy kids, caught between the dewy dawns and pretty sunsets, trying to find their place in a temporary social system.
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