Family Camp
Family Camp
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Family Camp is a faith-based family comedy starring YouTube's The Skit Guys, aka Tommy Woodard and Eddie James. While iffy content is mild, the story and messages are really directed at parents, so much so that kids may lose interest. Two dads let their frustration boil into fighting (pushing and shoving), and a person is threatened with a crossbow. A child who's alone in the woods hears scary noises, including wild animals. Iffy language is limited to insults like "dummy" and "idiot"; characters also talk about kissing, and a boy calls a girl "a tease." There's racial diversity among supporting characters, but female characters are depicted stereotypically, only speaking about men, children, and marriage problems. While the story's focus is heavily on grown-up stuff, the activities at Camp Katokwah may get kids excited to go to church camp -- and for many families of faith, that will be a win.
Community Reviews
Funny, Fun, Family Movie!! It’s about time! Loved it!
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Don’t waste money on tickets - not funny
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What's the Story?
To get some quality family time together, the Ackermans sign up for their church's FAMILY CAMP. But when they end up bunking with the overachieving Sanders family, the Ackermans decide to go all in to win the camp's coveted championship trophy.
Is It Any Good?
The Skit Guys have answered faith-based movie lovers' prayers: This is easily the best Christian comedy made to date. With excellent production values, solid direction, and fantastic comedy chops from the cast, Family Camp is a winner. Its laugh-out-loud humor may help it cross into the mainstream, as could the way it depicts the Ackermans, who positively represent many families of faith in "the secular community": They go to church and believe in God, but they don't talk about it all the time. Writer-director Brian Cates smartly contrasts the Ackermans with their bunkmates, the smugly pious Sanders family. This allows Christian families to laugh knowingly at two extremes they may recognize.
Woodard and James' dynamic is reminiscent of Steve Martin and John Candy in Planes, Trains and Automobiles, right down to the "I Like Me" speech. Their energy is also reminiscent of Martin and Eugene Levy -- and the more you realize that, the more it becomes obvious that Family Camp is very similar to Cheaper by the Dozen 2. The plots are almost identical. And the movie's super-fake (but fun!) beaver is most definitely a nod to the Caddyshack gopher. Even the characters' marital issues are generically unoriginal: Tommy Ackerman (Tommy Woodard) spends too much time at work, and his wife, Grace (Leigh-Allyn Baker), rides him for it. The bigger problem, though, is that when the dads get lost in the woods, the film as a whole gets lost with them. Better plan some second-act s'mores or you might lose the kids' interest. Bottom line? Family Camp isn't perfect, but its issues are forgivable, and it's lots of fun.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how comedy can be used to break down barriers and find common ground. How does that idea serve Family Camp's purpose?
What makes something a faith-based film? How does this one compare to other faith-based films you've seen?
Why is camp a popular setting for comedies? What elements of the camp experience create different circumstances for the characters?
Movie Details
- In theaters: May 13, 2022
- On DVD or streaming: June 28, 2022
- Cast: Tommy Woodard, Eddie James, Leigh-Allyn Baker
- Director: Brian Cates
- Studio: Roadside Attractions
- Genre: Comedy
- Run time: 111 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG
- MPAA explanation: some action and thematic elements
- Last updated: October 13, 2022
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