Camp

Camp

Year: 2013

Runtime: 111 mins

Language: English

Director: Jacob Roebuck

Drama

Hope is found in unexpected places. 10-year-old Eli finds himself at summer camp.

Warning: spoilers below!

Haven’t seen Camp yet? This summary contains major spoilers. Bookmark the page, watch the movie, and come back for the full breakdown. If you're ready, scroll on and relive the story!

Timeline & Setting – Camp (2013)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Camp (2013). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Contemporary (present day)

The events unfold in a modern setting, reflecting current social issues such as addiction, neglect, and the struggle for belonging. The Christian camp framework provides moral scaffolding amid real-world challenges that surface during the season. The narrative follows a single camp period, culminating in a pivotal decision about love and sacrifice.

Location

Camp, Locustwood

The story moves between a Christian summer camp in a small town and a harsh youth facility called Locustwood. The camp is portrayed as a shelter that tests troubled youths through mentorship, faith, and discipline. Locustwood represents a tougher environment where past trauma and anger are confronted head-on.

⛺️ Camp 🏥 Youth facility 🚦 Recovery center

Last Updated: October 01, 2025 at 09:57

Main Characters – Camp (2013)

Meet the key characters of Camp (2013), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Eli (Miles Elliot)

A troubled, rebellious teen scarred by neglect and a traumatic past who fights to push people away. Over the course of the camp, he begins to open up to Ken, moving from anger toward a fragile hope and a belief that he might deserve care and stability.

💥 Anger 🧭 Guarded 🤝 Potential for trust

Ken Matthews

An investment adviser thrust into camp life, he struggles with misgivings about faith, risk, and whether he can sacrifice his career for a troubled boy. As Eli’s caretaker, he confronts his own beliefs about love, accountability, and the price of commitment.

💼 Professional 💖 Mentor 🏁 Sacrifice

Samuel

A veteran counselor recently back from duty, steady and strict yet capable of tenderness. He provides structure for Ken and Eli, helping them navigate anger and fear while modeling resilience.

🪖 Veteran 🛡️ Authority 🫂 Empathy

Redford

A kid who believes he is an alien, creative and imaginative, offering humor and unexpected wisdom. He serves as a catalyst for Eli’s tentative social engagement and a reminder of childhood wonder.

👽 Imaginative 🧸 Friend 🧭 Outsider

Last Updated: October 01, 2025 at 09:57

Major Themes – Camp (2013)

Explore the central themes of Camp (2013), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

💖 Unconditional Love

Ken learns to love Eli beyond his anger and past wounds, choosing commitment over comfort. The bond deepens through patience, sacrifice, and steady support, showing that healing often requires putting another’s needs first. The theme centers on the transformative power of steadfast care.

🕊️ Forgiveness & Healing

Forgiveness emerges as a central force, allowing recovery to begin even for deeply scarred individuals. Eli’s defenses soften as trust grows, revealing a path toward self-acceptance. Healing is portrayed as a gradual journey rather than a single act.

🧭 Trauma & Growth

Traumatic histories drive present behavior, yet resilience and mentorship steer characters toward new directions. The camp setting forces confrontations with pain and the possibility of change. Growth comes from acknowledging hurts, embracing vulnerability, and choosing hope.

Last Updated: October 01, 2025 at 09:57

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Explore Movie Threads

Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Movies about transformative bonds like in Camp

Stories where broken people find unexpected hope through a powerful, redemptive bond.Explore more movies like Camp where characters grappling with trauma and loss find healing and purpose through an unexpected, redemptive bond. These dramas share a heavy emotional weight, a steady, character-driven pace, and a hopeful, if bittersweet, tone.

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Narrative Summary

Narratives in this thread typically begin with characters in a state of isolation or despair. An unlikely relationship—often between a cynical adult and a vulnerable child, or two damaged individuals—develops slowly, forcing them to confront their pasts. The central conflict is often internal, as characters learn to trust and care again, leading to personal growth and redemption, though not without sacrifice.

Why These Movies?

These films are grouped by their shared focus on the redemptive arc of a central relationship. They balance heavy, dramatic themes with a fundamentally hopeful tone, creating a specific emotional experience that is both heart-wrenching and uplifting.

Bittersweet dramas of personal growth like Camp

Emotional dramas where healing is real, but comes at a cost and leaves scars.If you liked the emotional journey in Camp, discover more movies with a bittersweet ending feel. These films follow characters through heavy personal struggles toward growth and hope, but the conclusion acknowledges the lasting impact of their trauma, creating a deeply resonant and realistic experience.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern follows a linear, straightforward arc where a character's life is improved, but the path is arduous and the victory is qualified. The ending feels earned yet tempered by loss or the acknowledgement that some wounds don't fully heal. The emotional journey is the primary focus, often set against a backdrop of difficult realities.

Why These Movies?

Movies in this thread share a specific emotional trajectory: they are heavy dramas that build toward hope and positive change, but conclude with a bittersweet tone that honors the complexity of the struggle. This creates a powerful, realistic, and deeply moving viewing experience.

Unlock the Full Story of Camp

Don't stop at just watching — explore Camp in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Camp is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

Camp Summary

Read a complete plot summary of Camp, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

Camp Summary

Camp Timeline

Track the full timeline of Camp with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

Camp Timeline

Camp Spoiler-Free Summary

Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of Camp that covers the main plot points and key details without revealing any major twists or spoilers. Perfect for those who want to know what to expect before diving in.

Camp Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Camp

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about Camp: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

More About Camp