The staff members of Camp Firewood, feeling that they have squandered the summer of 1981, are determined to make their last day together count. Crunchy counselor Beth (Jeaneane Garofolo) finds an unexpected love interest in shy, neighboring astrophysicist Neuman (David Hyde Pierce), who is busy tracking an errant piece of Skylab. Elsewhere, everyman Coop (Michael Showalter) pursues longtime crush Katie (Marguerite Monroe), despite her ignoramus boyfriend, Andy (Paul Rudd). Uptight Susie (Amy Poehler) is determined to stage a talent show that will rival the average Broadway production, while divorced arts and crafts instructor Gail (Molly Shannon) seeks love advice from 12-year-old campers. While several counselors make a pilgrimage to a crack house, virginal Gary has an unexpected sexual awakening, and Vietnam veteran cook Gene finds a guiding light in a can of green beans and erotic fulfillment in the refrigerator.

Conceived by Michael Showalter and David Wain, members of comedy troupe THE STATE, WET HOT AMERICAN summer pays tribute to the teen films of the 1970s and early 1980s, most notably the Bill Murray summer camp classic MEATBALLS, with a straight face and an anything-goes brand of comedy. Mixing and matching from a checklist of youth film clichés and turning them into sight gags that often defy time and space, Showalter and Wain have crafted a film that manages to be a consistently funny tribute to the genres it lampoons.