Pitching Tents from Meritage Pictures is one of those kind of movies that completely transports you back to the classic films of old with nostalgia, heart and comedy. A film made in modern time that throws you back into those feelings you had when you first saw movies like Ghostbusters, Back to the Future, Jurassic Park. Pitching Tents resurrects the magic of the 80’s, a hilarious yet heartfelt movie. It really is a film that is truly special.
This coming of age film written by Rob Fox and Jayme Petrille follows the story of Danny Whitaker. A high school senior struggling to decide his future. Stuck between his no-nonsense father who wants him to go straight into working with him after school and a crackpot guidance counsellor who must get Danny into college or else his job is on the line.
Danny and his friends head to the woods for the town’s annual rite-of-passage fishing trip. After a crazy party Danny stumbles upon Goddess Camp, an urban legend of skinny dipping girls whom many high school boys have fantasized about discovering for years. Here Danny meets Alison, who helps him back on track and to find the courage to take charge of his life and follow his dreams.
Pitching Tents is nothing short of a masterpiece, the film opens with our crackpot guidance counsellor who delivers so many laugh out moments in the opening act of the movie that instantly you feel right at ease. Played by Jim Norton the counsellor Mr.Mulligan oozes a vibe of the dean from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Yes, he really is THAT good.
The opening act of the movie sets the tone for the first half of the film. Frat-boy style humour thrown in with friendship, bonding and high-school life. I posted the trailer for Pitching Tents only the other day and the trailer demonstrated a blend of comedic balance with heartfelt undertones and the film perfectly replicated the trailer to a tee in terms of the emotion portrayed. The first half had me laughing with tears in my eyes in places and the second half of the movie when Danny encounters Alison in the woods we go into a deeper realisation of Danny’s future and where he should turn at this crossroads in his life.
Director Jacob Cooney has taken the ashes of the 80’s movies we all know and love and resurrected them into this masterpiece that could easily stand alone against some of the greats. It looks incredible but most of all it makes you feel like you’re there, like you’re back in the 80’s, like you’ve dusted off an old VHS classic and have been thrown back into those feel-good movies that just don’t exist anymore. Hats off to the producers, the cast and crew and all of those who crowdfunded together to make this film possible. Give yourselves a pat on the back. Pitching Tents is a film to be proud of. It’s a crazy good time and I loved it!
- Pitching Tents
Summary
Pitching Tents erects the magic of the 80’s. A feel-good throwback that transports you into one of the best decades of cinema. It really is something truly special. Fully recommend!
