Review: 'Dramarama'

 

Back in 2003, Todd Graff’s Camp was a hilarious look at a particular species of high schooler, one that rarely receives fair representation in movies: the theater geek. The indie darling, which featured a literal scene-stealing Anna Kendrick, was a joyous celebration of teens who’d rather play Sondheim than sports and make vintage pop culture references that would fly over the heads of their non-musical peers. 

Seventeen years later, writer-director Jonathan Wysocki continues that celebration — this time, adding a touch of 90s nostalgia — with the funny, tender, and heartwarming Dramarama. However, rather than putting present-day theater geeks in their element, Wysocki places his teens off-stage at a murder-mystery-themed slumber party in the California suburbs of 1994 (starting off in period costumes based on literary figures no less). And instead of obsessing over sex like characters in most hormonal teen romps, these friends partake in antics like quoting Tennessee Williams in between sips of sparkling cider, debating story arcs in Star Trek: The Next Generation, and making references to Clue and Fried Green Tomatoes. They’re 18 going on 40...

For the rest of my review on this delightful coming-of-age tale, check it out on Medium.

@TheFirstEcho