User Reviews

In true Paul Newman/Robert Redford fashion, this film screams fun. With a unique cast, led by the ever eccentric Christopher Lloyd, a former drama teacher leads a team of kids to a summer camp free of work, parents or any authoritative counselors. He is encouraged by four bright but disgruntled youngsters who dread the thought of spending summers being trained to live up up to their parents expectations: fat camp, acting camp, military school and computer camp. But the shenanigans do not come into classic play until the kids' parents insist on visiting them at their "educational" camp. This joins ' The Goonies' and 'Willow' and one of the many films that my own kids will grow up watching...but I think if you are watching this film...like me, you are far too much of a child yourself to be thinking about actually having children!

"Camp Nowhere" is somewhat of an update of "Meatballs (1979)," starring Christopher Lloyd of "Back to the Future (1985)" fame. As camp movies go though, this film has its particulars, it is funny, but to a point. It is watch-able, and forgettable. It was not as well received as the 1995 camp film "Heavy Weights," which was a roaring success.

Lloyd is a man who needs money and these kids need time to themselves, so they hire him to run their camp, he accepts. Soon though, the parents want to check the place out. Did I mention that each kid told his/her parents they went to a different camp? Only chaos could ensue from this calamity.

This premise brings to mind a film about a similar idea, "Accepted (2006)" where a group of college flunkouts start a faux college to make their parents believe they are college students. Perhaps these kids are the same ones from that movie! We can only wonder.

This is the typical movie that you would have seen growing up in the 90's. It has an awesome cast and has a funny storyline. For some reason i don't remember this movie growing up but watched it in my 30's and loved it. This would be the camp that we all wished we could go to growing up.7 out of 10.

This movie was great when I first saw it as a child years ago, it was great when I saw it a few days ago, and it will always be great. as a child the movie embodied my hopes and dreams of a camp away from parents where I was in control. The acting from young stars was surprisingly good. The movie is simply most kids' dream which makes it a childhood classic.

Bad watch, probably won't watch again, and can't recommend.

As much as I thought I would enjoy getting in the way back machine to see Christopher Lloyd getting up to whacky antics, this was disappointing.

It's a bunch of rich, spoiled kids tricking their parents into paying for what they is a way to get rid of their kids for the summer, and the kids basically creating a criminal ring to facilitate it.

I see a lot similarities between this and "Accepted", but where "Accepted" was built with better intentions by the characters who were adults that ended up dealing with a situation and turning it to be an attempt at betterment, "Camp Nowhere" grew the conspirators first and then committed to a fake camp.

This movie just doesn't have the fun charm that its future counterpart has, and that can probably be attributed to the child actors involved. They're not all so bad, but they're mostly typical child actors.

Sure there are some fun moments in this, but the overall story is severely lacking, and we don't need a fable to tell that this kid is going to be sorry and that he was wrong at the end of it.

OK, there have been so many movies about cool kids trashing the adults' rules, that another one would hardly register. However, "Camp Nowhere", about some teenagers creating a summer camp sans adult supervision, has some pretty cool stuff in store. No doubt, all kids have at some point wanted to do something like this. And if there's only going to be one adult at the camp, I'd say that Christopher Lloyd probably would be the right person to have.

So, don't expect to see this and have some sort of religious experience (although there's no guarantee that you won't have one); just expect to have fun (that's pretty much guaranteed). Also starring Jonathan Jackson, M. Emmet Walsh, and even a very young Jessica Alba.

And that end scene was sure a shocker!

Horrible! Horrible! Horrible! And that's putting it lightly! What nerve! "Camp Nowhere" dares to hide under the guise that it is a comedy starring Christopher Lloyd! This is no more than a rebellious kiddie flick(gag!), with Lloyd making an occasional(lame)appearance! If IMDb would let me submit a thousand votes, I would give it a 1 every time! It was a thousand-fold awful!

I thoroughly enjoyed Camp Nowhere! It's a great movie to just sit back and relax to, while vicariously living out on screen the things you wish you could have done as a teen. This movie is better than Meatballs, or other "summer camp" movies, as it doesn't feel the need to resort to sexual content to be funny.

I am not exaggerating when I say this movie is widely overlooked and even underrated for what it is. Don't get me wrong, it's not groundbreaking nor a masterpiece of cinema, but for what it is: a simple, light-hearted fun summer kids movie; it succeeds at it with a surprising young cast, fun subplots and a variety of characterisations on some of the most over-the-top premises that lends for great 90s nostalgia moments.

The amount of ratings and reviews it has is very low and I am not sure why, perhaps it didn't have a wide distribution and maybe not many people know about it. I certainly didn't, but I surely had a lot of fun with it and was surprised at the production value it has... For a kids' summer movie.

I loved it. I love its inadverted 90s-time-capsule effect it had on me. Presenting sequences and themes very unique to the time that perhaps now might be deemed "inappropriate" or "insensible" (and with a bit of reason) but which pulls it of and furthers the plot to some fun extremes. Don't get me wrong, it's definitely a product of its time: a 90s-fueled angsty kids rebellion plot where they must deal with the expectations the parents set to them and they do so in the more superficial, "Disney Channel Original Movie"-style way which perhaps robs it from having deeper moments and slowing down to make the emotion takes center stage. Instead, the movie focuses more in glancing over it and focusing on not been taken too seriously: presenting an insane premise that would never work in real life, with incompetent and oblivious parents to prevent them from spoiling the fun and a supposed "adult" to watch over them. But what isn't there to like? This is a 90s staple! They don't make these movies anymore!

And I think that's the main appeal of this movie for me. It's embrace of the era and the absurdity of its premise and the more commercial approach to the parent-expectaction-themed summer camps. It's trully unhinged, it's not afraid of superficially delving into morally-improper grounds to present a coming of age story that while looked through a more commercial angle (compared to modern coming of age movies) it has something to say and isn't simply a "movie where kids just have fun" and has nothing underneath but funny gags and creative sequences (which the movie also has). There are some sequences that, although spoiled in the trailer, are very witty and comedicly well-timed. And yeah, the narrative has plotholes, some characters have inconsistencies and some of the adults (and even kids) have a very two or one dimensional behaviour through out the picture. But that's acceptable given the size of the cast and the genre of the movie.

However, I do think the movie is special and it does have refreshing elements, sequences and good character moments. I appreciate also the refreshing takes on conventional tropes of these teen/kids movies, like the way they presented the "cliques" where there isn't just "one biggest bully" but several and that there's more to these than meet the eye, I think it allows for a more realistic depiction of a classroom dynamic. Often times 80s or even 90s movies have very exaggerated, confronted cliques that don't work together, for example, "the geeks are despised and casted aside"; this movie adds an entry to those who present a "bigger threat" (like parents expectations) to unite them all. Additionally, I want to also point out one of my favorite aspects of the movie, and that is the "main friend group": it's formed by kids with different personalities and motivations, and surprisingly as that may seem, I think it's not as easy to pull off. Also, i've seen some reviews that complain about "presenting a geek that didn't look geek" or "someone fat when they didn't look fat"; and I think it's more subtle and even "worse in a good way" that way rather than having a stereotypical geeky-looking geek and very fat kid play the fat kid. Because the pressure is even bigger when you are critised by something you are not (or are just a little bit) and it's blown out of proportion, specially when it comes to body image. But their characters still have traits that support their assigned role (like, there isn't a super handsome kid playing a supposed "ugly kid" type of nonsense) so it works for the story. Granted, it would have been more "groundbreaking" perhaps to have a "bigger" kid to play the "fat kid" so as to be more inclusive and give more important roles to all sorts of body-type kids; but like I said earlier, this movie isn't trying to be groundbreaking or make a statement of any kind in any way.

Lastly, I'd like to recommend the movie "Accepted"(2006) as a possible, if not literally, figuratively spiritual "sequel/reboot sequel" to this one; the premise, tone and witty characterisations are similar and, if you don't take it too seriously, you can enjoy it as much (or even more) as this one.

IN CONCLUSION, this suprisingly entertaining preteen summer camp light-coming-of-age story was decently written and amazingly fun; with endearing characters, a tone that fits that summer movie vibe of good fun, feel-good light-heartedness and, today, presents a 90s time-capsule that captures the essence, unhinged madness kids movies got away with back then and nostalgia for many themes, memories and even products you might have had when you were younger if you grew up around the time. If not, it'd provide a window into the types of 90s summer camps kids would go.

As a kid I loved this film as an adult it's amusing enough but it's target audience is def for kids and they will love it. I just wish they made more films like this for the younger audiences.

Camp Nowhere is, if nothing else, a wonderful guide for actors on how to play many parts in one movie. Christopher Lloyd does a wonderful job playing at least 8 different characters. Each is unique and believable as well as wonderfully comic. Jonathan Jackson, best known for his role on General Hospital, plays at least two other characters besides Mud Himmel. Both do a wonderful job.

The movie itself is always teetering on the edge of formula fare, but somehow manages to avoid falling in. Each time I expect a formula solution, the movie surprises me with a new and funny twist. Comic timing is wonderful and young Nathan Cavaleri, who plays Steve, is the one on the guitar in "Summertime Blues" and "Working on It."

Watch this movie!

Well, even though it might not measure up to the level of brilliance as Citizen Kane, but it's up there in the top 10 of all time. This film, not only exhibits pure hilarity, but also showcases some of the best young talent around. Fifty years from now, film professors will be lecturing on how the performances of Jonathon Jackson and Andrew Keegan has forever changed drama. Camp Nowhere not only provides excellent acting and side splitting laughter, it also showcases social commentary. The director wanted to make sure who's in charge, and that's kids, of course. The hidden theme of "Kids will always triumph over adults" will always stand the test of time. Without a doubt, one of the greatest films ever to grace theaters across the nation. My Score: 10 out of 10!

Morris "Mud" Himmel doesn't want to go to summer computer camp. Gaby Nowicki (Melody Kay) is going to fat camp. Zack Dell (Andrew Keegan) is going to military camp. Trish Prescott (Marnette Patterson) is going to Broadway camp. The four disparate friends find former drama teacher Dennis Van Welker (Christopher Lloyd) hiding from debt collector T.R. Polk (M. Emmet Walsh). They hire him to trick their parents to go to a camp of their own making. Then other kids want in on the scam.

This is a great kid escapist movie. I love the unlikely friendship of the four friends. They make this more than a simple childish fare. The only missing scene is a heart to heart with the four of them together. The movie splits up the group into the two coupling for the heart to heart. I want that Breakfast Club scene where the kids sit down and go into their lives. That would put this over the top. This is a fun movie for kids and younger teens.

A little bit silly but surprisingly cool.

Camp Nowhere was in many ways what I exactly expected; a little bit silly but funny and lighthearted family flick enough entertaining to keep us watching for 90 minutes. Christopher Lloyd is funny and likable while the kids are also delivering some funny and sweet moments.

Basically it's a story of a bunch of kids who are going to different summer camps and for some reason each of them is not very happy about that idea. With a help of a former drama teacher they are deceiving their own parents each time in a rather funny and specific way and starting "Camp Nowhere" for all summer long with no adult supervising. Of course the kids are just mostly goofing around and having fun (and to be fair that's what they are supposed to do in summer) but at the same time they are becoming friends and eventually learn some positive values.

Sure some stuff is far-fetched and hardly believable but who cares this time, anyway? It's a nice family entertainment which adults can survive without much pain and quite possible even enjoying with a thought that sometimes it might be much better to ask your offspring what he or she really likes and wants to do. Christopher Lloyd's character could be really annoying but this time his performance is rather cool and enjoyable while all the kids are trying to do their best and obviously having a great fun at the same time. The jokes are not that crude as they are used to be in many similar movies and the movie concept is not serious enough for real kids taking it as a good idea. It's also nice to see some modern stars in their first big screen appearances.

This movie is great! I saw it when it came out in 1994 and I still rent it on video.

The movie is about a group of young kids who are fed up with the camps their parents are making them go to. Trish is being sent off to theater camp, Gaby is being sent to a camp for fat people, Zach is being sent to military school, and Mudd is being sent to computer camp. When walking home from school one day, Mud and the others come up with a plan to create a camp of their own. But the only problem is that they have no adult to supervise them. So they turn to Dennis Van Welker played by Christopher Lloyd. He agrees to stay with them for the summer as long as they pay him. Everything is all set except for when the word gets around school about their plan. So now, they have to take anyone who wants to come. While at the camp, they have a ton of fun, but the town sheriff is on their case and begins to get suspicious about them. The big surprise comes at the end when they discover their parents are expecting parents day. So now they are all together in putting together a precise parents day without screwing up.

I think that this movie is a masterpiece in family cinema. It has a good script, good actors, and good fun!! It's suitable for ages 8 and up. Rent the movie on VHS. Hopefully there will be a DVD available for it soon. 4 stars for Camp Nowhere!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yeah, it's just a silly movie for kids, but "Camp Nowhere" hits right in the mark: the story is engaging enough to keep us watching, the characters are adorable, it has Christopher Lloyd in it and the jokes and slapstick are fun enough to keep us entertained the whole thing. Yes, this is not as smart as "Addams' Family Values", but for what it is, is a enjoyable ride.

The highlight of this movie, as I've said, is Christopher Lloyd: he's a great and funny actor, and here he shows his comedic talents in all its glory, with his multiple performance.

Good and funny summer movie, take it for what it is; a kids' film.

7/10

i grew up in my pre-pubescnet years watching this movie and loving andrew keegan, its one of the best kids escapism movies around and i'd recommend it for other kids too. I mean who didn't want to be one of those kids at a camp with no adults and a stash of money.Good fun

Firstly, after revisiting this movie, I can easily say Christopher Lloyd steals the show! I love how he plays different characters to convince the kids' parents to send them to camp. It's pretty funny, and Lloyd is absolutely the best part of this movie!

Secondly, anyone that's a "Back to the Future" fan will enjoy the scenes where Lloyd interacts with a Tom Wilson, playing an incompetent state trooper. It's kind of fun to see Wilson play the fool, and not a bad guy.

The kids do an alright job. A lot aren't particularly memorable, but this is a reasonably easy going film, just meant for yuks. It's from the '90s, but luckily doesn't feel ridiculously dated.

I was a tad surprised at the language, including a few "G-D" words. I mean, the content is a little more harsh than your usual kids flick, but it's not non-stop, or overtly explicit.

I like the idea of revisiting this film every so often, as it's just fun, and doesn't take much effort to enjoy. A film, in my opinion, that's a decent recommendation to older kids, and '90s nostalgia fans. 6/10

Involuntarily I have watched this one on TV. It was good, had an okay storyline (even though pretty unrealistic... but that applies to all movies of this kind), and most importantly it didn't have exaggerated cheap and lame humour a lá Police Academy or similar. This one might even entertain grown ups. I'd say this movie was one of the better kid's flicks (not saying that Police Academy is one, but honestly, it's a big piece of crap). However I can't judge the original version since I've seen the German dubbed version which was pretty ok. I think it's underrated here at IMdB. I give it a kids/comedy rating of 7/10 (please note that this is not a generic movie rating. imo you cannot judge all kinds of movies the same).

This movie is no masterpiece, but I consider it fun and light entertainment. It's one of my favorites from childhood which gives it a special sense of sentimental value for me, but I think it can be enjoyed by a newcomer just as well. The cast is lively and fun with many familiar faces. It's a great movie to watch during the summer because it so perfectly portrays the carefree and light-hearted feeling of the season. Obviously it's far from winning an Academy Award but not every movie is made to display some deep, brilliant idea. Many people have commented that it is the worst movie they've seen; I suggest they watch Grease 2. All in all, Camp Nowhere is a fun flick.

I've seen this movie so many times, I always get it everytime I go to the video shop. I wish they would bring it out on DVD so I could buy it. But no matter how old you are Camp Nowhere is a great, funny and entertaining movie. Jonathan Jackson and Christopher Lloyd play the parts fantastly.

No matter how old I get, this movie will always be a favourite of mine. A must see for all!!

i absolutely love this movie. i own it on DVD and when i asked for it i had only seen 5 minutes of it on like STARZ or something. christopher lloyd is great. and so is jonathon jackson. jonathon jackson and melody kay were soo good in the scenes when they had to like each other. i actually started crying it was so sweet. jason keegan and marnie patterson were awesome too. i almost believed the whole movie. its so great to see where some stars got their starts like jessica alba and..well almost all of the kids in the movie have gone on to do other work too. i think everyone everywhere would love this movie. adults, because it reminds them of their youth and children, because it is just a time to get away and pretend that you are actually at camp nowhere. on a scale of 1 to 10 i definitely give this movie a 10.

A wonderful funny movie. It is a good movie with good values. I have loved it since I saw it when it first came out. I have the DVD now and it still continues to make me smile and laugh as I watch it. I wanted to be at the camp with the kids. I watch it now and wish I could just get away and have a camp like that. The kids made there own camp and had, Christopher Lloyd, be there camp representative for multiple camps. Andrew Keagan is in it and when I was younger I thought he was the hottest guy alive so I loved to watch and re-watch the movie. The kids all get in trouble in the end for deceiving their parents and Lloyd gets his debt which has the cops looking for him paid off in a sweet way.