Meatballs 4K 1979 Ultra HD 2160p

Story Movie

A popular comedy about a youth summer camp. The head counselor is a funny guy. He tells jokes, makes jokes and becomes a friend of a lonely, depressed twelve-year-old boy Rudy. His friendship with the counselor helps Rudy believe in his own strength, win the race and become the camp hero.

Review 4K Movie

It is unlikely that Ivan Reitman saw Elem Klimov's Soviet masterpiece Welcome, or No Trespassing, but he made a film that is essentially the same—the theme, meaning, and positive energy of both films are completely identical. Only in Meatballs, of course, do we have the opportunity to observe life at an American summer camp. Hence the main differences—in humor, key moments, and problems. Otherwise, everything is the same, because children are children everywhere, and I would say that it makes perfect sense to have this film in your collection alongside Welcome and the film The Family Plan with Leslie Nielsen.

There are quite a few films like this, but this one is different in that the main focus is not on the spontaneity and charm of children, but on the adult counselors, who behave just like children themselves, which is why they end up being the best friends of their young charges. The rest of the cast is well known to fans of “summer” comedies: the obligatory snobbish boss who is methodically mocked by everyone, the outsider child, the wonderful counselor, the entertainer who is never boring, friendship between boys and girls, first love, and then the obligatory competition with the neighboring camp, where the children of the rich live—jerks trained in special programs, real scouts... And the camp we like works as the heart dictates, without any instructions or programs - on pure enthusiasm, good mood and friendship, in short, simply humanly. And, of course, it wins.

The comedy is wonderful—completely crazy, mischievous, and sloppy, similar to Klimov's film in that it is very light, fun, and relaxed, without any moralizing, sowing wisdom, kindness, and timelessness in children, and can be of great service not only to counselors but also to young teachers. . It shows very well how to find common ground with children, how to reach the hearts of “difficult” ones, how to smooth over the crisis of puberty, and how, with the help of kindness, humor, and children's methods, to make children your allies, rather than antagonizing them, as often happens with teachers (our comrade Dinin). At the same time, the film is reminiscent of comedies such as “The Golf Club,” “Balda,” and others in that it is made like a friendly cabaret - very close and understandable to everyone.

The charm of thoughtlessness, the perspective of an adult child, and a broad comedic “unusual lightness of thought” are the hallmarks of this kind and simple comedy. Bill Murray, the ideal actor for a role of this kind, takes center stage here. It's hard to believe that this is the great actor's debut on the big screen - he behaves so naturally and cheerfully in front of the camera. He is absolutely ‘one of the guys’ in any company, a child with children, a teenager with teenagers, an adult with adults, a friend, a teacher, a joker, a guy who is just what you need.

The most interesting thing is that Murray does not try to portray something Hamlet-like in this film—he simply behaves as he did in real life—having fun and enjoying himself, delivering an endless stream of jokes and witticisms. He is like a child who lives in the frame, unaware of the camera. This is his trademark state of being—acting frivolously and treating everything with indifference—which is also characteristic of his later films, such as The Golf Club and Ghostbusters, and echoes of it can be seen in Groundhog Day and even in Lost in Translation.

Pretty girls, cheerful carefree chatter, friendly and funny counselors led by Bill Murray, sun, beach, water, air, scary stories under the covers, evening songs around the campfire, peeking at girls, funny pranks, and endless childishness - that's what's great about this movie. It's great because it will never grow old. I am younger than this film and had not seen it until recently, but at camp we also made fun of each other. So all of this is real, all of this is alive, and therefore cannot grow old as long as there are children, summer camps, and a sense of humor.

This film is a gem among mindless, lighthearted children's films, both in genre and substance. A cloudless, idyllically wonderful, cheerful, and optimistic film for children and grown-up children. It's no surprise that, despite its simplicity and low budget, it became a hit and made Bill Murray famous. Everyone needs a break. And this is a real break for the soul and heart!