Parents' Guide to Boys vs. Girls

Writer/director Michael Stasko brings some of the familiar levity from other summer camp comedies to this film but dials the raunchiness down for younger viewers. Boys vs. Girls is a quick film if you're looking for a short diversion. But the pacing is a little slow in the beginning, with the film eventually finding its footing toward the middle of the storyline. It gets compelling once the gender wars ramp up, leading to a lot of funny moments. Overall, though, the actors who carry the film aren't the leads. Instead, the comedic muscles of Boys vs. Girls are Mochrie as camp director Roger; Kevin McDonald as park groundskeeper Coffee; Jesse Camacho as Ben; a camp counselor with Chris Farley-esque energy; and Michala Brasseur as Dany, a goth camp counselor who's always focused on the occult. Other cast members buoying the film's comedy include Samantha Helt as mallrat Tiffany, Tim Dowler-Coltman as silent heartthrob Bo, Romeo Carere as rap wannabe Hip-Hop, and Nia Roam as type-A camp counselor Donna.

That's not to say that Osborne and Dagenais bring the film down in any way. Instead, they fill a "straight man" comedic role, allowing everyone else to bring more extremes to their characters. As a whole, the cast brings a new flavor to the tried-and-true conceit of "girls against boys." If you're a fan of summer camp movies, you'll have fun watching this with teens, as the humor is adult enough for parents but not too explicit for teenagers. Aside from the edgier humor, watch for a scene that illustrates an end-of-summer "ritual" of sorts in which kids are stereotypically dressed like Native Americans and act in a stereotypical manner. But apart from that and some pacing issues, Boys vs. Girls is sure to provide laughs to its audience.