How Bottoms and Theater Camp Revived the Authentic Comedy Movie

Graphic Designer: Blair Migdal

Gone are the days of Step Brothers and The Hangover, of Judd Apatow and Seth Rogen dominating the comedy movie scene with fart jokes and the subtlest hint of misogyny. Thankfully the summer of 2023 ushered in a new generation of comedy movies with the theatrical releases of Bottoms and Theater Camp. The former, directed by Emma Seligman, is a satirical sex comedy about two girls starting a fight club to lose their virginities, while the latter is a mockumentary on the absurdity of theater-focused sleepaway camp directed by Molly Gordon and Nick Lieberman. While the premises surrounding both movies are quite different, what they share is an appeal to Gen Z audiences through their impressively sharp yet ridiculous humor.

Bottoms and Theater Camp, however, represent so much more than just two of the summer’s favorite films. Their existence, and audiences' favorable reactions to them, indicate that a special kind of comedy classic has been revived. In the 2010s, Hollywood entered a drought of comedy sensations at the box office. Social media played a part in this, as one no longer needed to go to the movie theater to laugh; it was easy to find similar entertainment on YouTube instead. The comedy genre receded while more broadly appealing films like Oscar-worthy dramas and superhero blockbusters exploded. The writing in popular “dramedy” films such as Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and The Grand Budapest Hotel is funny in the sense that it is witty, but is not over-the-top absurd, as the movies are focused on serious themes. Ultimately, I believe that comedy films haven’t successfully stood out for a while now because people are searching for something more substantial than just amusement.

The lack of truly good comedy movies has not gone unnoticed in recent years. You might have heard someone say, “We need a new Superbad,” referring to the 2007 buddy comedy. What they mean is they are looking for a modern comedy movie that holds significance in pop culture and is endlessly rewatchable. Olivia Wilde’s Booksmart (2019) attempted to quench people’s desire for a new Superbad--and pretty much marketed itself as the female version of the Judd Apatow film--but ultimately failed. While it received positive reviews from both critics and audiences, I would argue that it may have taken itself too seriously to reach cult comedy status or capture the ever-elusive adoration of Gen Z.

Bottoms and Theater Camp, on the other hand, do not try to be anything other than genuine comedies, embracing ridiculousness. Both films recognize their target audiences as Gen Z as well as younger millennials, and do their best to appeal to their humor without being too “cringe” or “cheugy.” Plus, the two films highlight the experiences of queer characters but do not center the whole narrative around the fact that they are queer. In other words, Bottoms and Theater Camp are great examples of casual representation in film for the LGBTQ community.

After seeing these films over the summer, I can confirm that they truly do deliver in the comedic department. Rachel Sennott and Ayo Edebri are hilarious and have amazing on-screen chemistry in Bottoms, while the ensemble cast of Theater Camp, along with its seriously catchy original songs, made for an equally entertaining and heart-warming experience. You can tell the cast and crew of both movies wanted to run as far as they could with the worlds they’ve created. And if I haven’t sold you already, both films fall around the 90-minute mark in terms of runtime, the perfect amount a classic comedy should be, especially considering young people’s dwindling attention spans. Not to mention, this length makes their potential rewatchability factor even higher (admittedly, I’ve already watched Theater Camp three times).

Bottoms and Theater Camp mark a new era of comedy films with their refreshing spin on a genre sorely in need of a revamp. I rate both films 4.5/5 stars and highly recommend them if you haven’t seen them yet.

Strike Out,

St. Louis

Written by: Jordan Siegel

Edited by: Hannah Hummel

Graphic Designer: Blair Migdal