Wet Hot American Summer (2001)

Satire on 'summer camp/sex comedy' movies of the 1980's written by veterans of the mid-90's MTV sketch comedy series The State, Michael Showalter and David Wain, and directed by Wain. The chief gag of the film is that many of the characters who are suppose to be in their late teens are obviously played by actors who are around 30. The film has a large ensemble cast, many of which are now in that just barely recognizable category, though a fair number went on to big things, most notably Paul Rudd, Bradley Cooper, Amy Poehler and Elizabeth Banks. The comedy is often absurdist and exaggerated and it took me a while to get in the grove of the thing, but ultimately I really enjoyed it, and I enjoyed it even more when I learned that (according to Rotten Tomatoes) only about a third of critics got it. I have a feeling that this is a movie that will only improve on repeat viewing. ***