Meatballs is the story of Rudy (Chris Makepeace), an unpopular outcast who is sent to a rowdy summer camp. He is soon befriended by the head counselor, Tripper Harrison (Bill Murray), who helps him get over his awkwardness mainly though a series of pranks, most of which are aimed at the nearby "rich kids" camp. Eventually Rudy and Tripper must band the rest of the camp together to finally win the Camp Olympics.
Much like Tripper, Meatballs is a laid-back, simple comedy that works without trying too hard. Unlike some comedies, it doesn't try too hard to force jokes nor does it overcomplicate them. The humor is crude (though probably not by the standards of some movies today), but it is generally harmless fun. Though the early parts of the movie are mostly a series of gag scenes strung together with Tripper and Rudy bonding, the movie does settle into a cohesive plot once the Camp Olympics come into play. Meatballs shares a trait with some of Bill Murray's later movies like Caddyshack and Stripes where you can easily start watching the movie at any point and enjoy yourself without having to worry too much about the plot.
Although Meatballs was released on DVD a few years ago, the Special Edition adds a few extras so that fans may want to consider a repurchase. The first is commentary by director Ivan Reitman and producer Daniel Goldberg. I'm normally not a fan of commentary, though the behind-the-scenes stories the duo share are fascinating since it gives an entirely different picture of what the movie was originally supposed to be and how, and why, it evolved into the movie that was released.
Although not as entertaining as the commentary, a "Making of..." documentary is also included. The only payoff for this piece, which is pretty dry, is seeing how the cast members aged.
In short, Meatballs is a classic comedy that should find its way into any comedy fan's collection.
