CAMP - Movie Review

The foster care movies that I have reviewed for Foster Focus up to this point have been documentaries. To think about it, the last foster care movie of note might be the Blind Side but that was way back in 2009. So when I caught wind of a studio foster care movie I was excited to watch. Like most kids who spent time in care, I am a child of the television and big screen. I escaped from foster care with the help of some of the greatest images ever put on film. When I say I'm a movie buff, I am seriously underselling myself. Ever met someone who owns a movie encyclopedia? Okay, good, does that person have their encyclopedia worn like a copy of the phone book? Is it blackened by lines on every page with movies they have seen?  For whatever reason, when I find something I like, I'm all in.

With that in mind it is no surprise that one of my life goals is to see every film made from the year I was born until present, a lofty goal but achievable. During my quest I have seen nearly every genre that film has to offer. I have laughed with the comedies, be it, slapstick or high brow, low budget it blockbuster feature. I have cheered along hundreds of sports heroes and booed thousands of villains. I've figured out plot twists before they happened and jumped out of my seat at a sudden unexpected moment. I'm saying I LOVE film. Whether that's foster care's fault or not is another article entirely.

I grabbed my snacks, sat down on my favorite movie viewing chair, pressed the play button and let Director/Writer Jacob Roebuck take me to CAMP. I had already seen the trailer so I had an idea of what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised to find that my expectations would be exceeded. CAMP is a different kind of coming of age film. In most films the main character faces adversity then overcomes that adversity to find a place of contentment. CAMP's main character is a foster kid magnifying the adversity, but eliminating the possibility of a final outcome of contentment. CAMP opens with rookie actor Miles Elliot, as Eli, a sad looking blonde boy, filthy from neglect. The film wastes no time setting a mood of despair as the boy walks aimlessly through his hometown. His home life is expectedly tragic. You meet the mother, played by Betsy Roth first, entrenched in a television show, beer in hand with no time to be a mom. The phrase "stay in your room" becomes the first segment of the film's mantra.

I went into the viewing of this film with the hope that the life of a foster kid would be portrayed in a true to life manner. The tone set by the opening scenes had the feel of abuse without destroying the audience's ability to watch the rest of the movie. The actual on screen violence was minimal though its impact was tremendous.

Watching the boy being taken away from his home was the first time during the film that I felt the need to cry. It would not be the last.

Across town, a young brash hustler with a background in finance zips through the streets in a convertible Porsche. Both the car and the man seem to be moving too fast for their own good. That sentiment is echoed as Ken, played by Michael Mattera, walks towards a charity dinner with his assistant, played by Kristin Wolven. As she preps him on a potential client, you can see the single-mindedness with which he approaches life.  His dinner ends with his volunteering to be a counselor at a camp for foster youth that the potential client is a supporter of, a precarious position for someone with no interest in children.

The prospect of his attendance at the camp does not sit well with the camp director Tammie, played impressively by Grace Johnston. Tammie went to high school with Ken and remembers the type of person he was, which gives her pause as she learns of his intentions to attend the camp. The camp itself is really the star of the film. Wide open spaces, giant Redwood trees and vistas that foster kids don't get to see. The film captures the feel of camp brilliantly. I could smell the campfires, hear the birds, I think I may have even taken a swat at a mosquito (tough to do in a Pennsylvania winter). The anticipation of the kids’ arrival is palpable as the counselors all trickle in for the first day of camp.

In true movie bad boy fashion Ken speeds into camp in his sports car, attitude in tow.  Mattera and Johnston have an easy on screen chemistry making the tension of attraction believable.  As he meets the other counselors we are introduced to Asante Jones who stands out in his performance of Samuel Smith, a former foster kid and military vet. The character of Sam is definitely going to be a fan favorite. Jones provides seriousness, ease and brings some early comedic moments in a film where comedic moments could be hard to find.

A pivotal early moment in the film is a meeting of all the counselors to discuss the rules of camp. No cell phones and knowing your camp buddy topped the list of important camp regulations. As Tammie hands out cards with the names of the camper and any problems they're coming in with, Ken is visibly disinterested to the point of leaving his camper card on the table behind him.

As a product of care, there were certain realities I hoped would come across the screen. For the most part I was satisfied. One of those realities I wanted to see was sibling reunification. In a life not glamorous enough for the big screen, camps for foster youth are the place where siblings separated by foster care are brought together, for some it is the only time they will see one another for the entirety of the year.

When two girls arriving at camp embraced, I was hopeful. As the counselor revealed the girls' relationship, I wept.  CAMP does a great job of making you cry without overdramatizing the scene. You feel it in your gut rather than it being force-fed through overacting.

As the rest of the campers are introduced it is clear that the character of Redford, played brilliantly by Matthew Jacob Wayne, is a personality that the audience will carry out of the theater with them. Redford is hopeful, enthusiastic and full of life. You'd be surprised how many foster youth are like Redford. Redford has found solace in the idea that he is of another world, simply waiting for the Mother ship to take him away from his dire circumstances.

Redford's antithesis in personality is the now angry, Eli. As fate would have it, the most disinterested counselor is paired with the camper who needs the most attention. Ken looks befuddled as Eli takes off in a sprint toward the woods. A quick word from Sam snaps him back to reality and off to the woods after his camper.

From the onset you can tell the Ken/Eli will be a strained one. Ken’s lack of enthusiasm combined with Eli’s standoffish personality made for tension filled scenes throughout the film. As the film progresses both find value in one another.

More campers are introduced. As the bus to camp empties, we meet more counselors with their weeklong friends. One counselor searches in vain for her campers when it is discovered the child hadn’t left the bus. The young lady on the bus doesn’t know where she is, which is an actual reality faced by many foster youth. Simply packed on a bus and set off without any knowledge of where they are headed. CAMP is based on true events, a point was made to inject as many foster care realities as possible.

The film progresses as most films involving camps do. There are activities like hiking, singing and swimming. Swimming becomes Eli’s immovable object throughout the film. He is hesitant to participate for reasons that are revealed later in the movie.

Ken has his own immovable object to deal with throughout the film as well. He has trouble not seeing the kids as messed up or broken. A heart to heart with Sam clears up that misconception. In the movie, as in reality, most of the kids involved in foster care enter through no fault of their own. Poverty, neglect and abuse are the campers’ ticket into the week of activity. As Ken begins to realize this, his time at camp improves, along with his relationships with the other counselors, especially Tammie.

The trouble with reviewing a film you are enthusiastic about is the desire to reveal the whole film to the reader. This is a film worth seeing so I’m going to stop with the story out line and touch on a few aspects of the film that I felt were important then we’ll wrap this in a bow and you can go out to see the film and form your on opinion., without me giving away all the details. Here are the things you need to know.

First this film is serious, it has serious themes and deals with a serious topic. CAMP stays true to the plight of foster youth throughout the movie. Careful not to become an advocacy movie, CAMP introduces the problems of care through the characters rather than flashing statistics on screen or a contrived drawn out monologue.

The second important fact of this film you should be aware of is that it has a religious theme. Much like the thought put into making sure the film wasn’t an advocacy piece, that same thought went into making sure that the film walked the delicate line of religion and mainstream. The religious theme is evident throughout with prayers and scripture driven monologues dotting the entertaining journey. It is not overbearing nor is it out of place. The religious aspect of the film simply fits the camps theme and moreover lends itself to reality. As you may know the religious sector plays a vital role in foster care, another reality that the film brings to the forefront.

The third and final fact you need to know about CAMP is that you should make it a priority to see it. If you spent time in care or want to introduce someone who was thinking of becoming involved in care to what it takes to help these kids, CAMP is a great look into that world. There is humor, reality, heart but most importantly there is truth on the screen.

Whether or not CAMP can rise to the level of Blind Side remains to be seen. What CAMP is, however, is the best foster care movie offering Hollywood has given the public since “Big Mike” stole the nation’s attention.