Wet Hot American Summer is a cult classic comedy (and TV series) from The State alums. American Honey is a gritty, lyrical 160-minute art film from filmmaker Andrea Arnold. Tonally and artistically, they have nothing in common. What they have in common, however, are young, attractive people partying in warm weather. And, sometimes, that’s all it takes to give us a killer mashup. That’s what YouTube user Johnny 2 Cellos has given us with Wet Hot American Honey.
Set against the crusty, propulsive keyboard plinks of Jefferson Starship’s “Jane” (which opens both Wet Hot American Summer and its accompanying series), the trailer overrides American Honey’s diegetic soundtrack to give it the low-stakes look of a suggestive teen sex comedy (replete with comedic freeze frames and vintage title cards) rather than the sobering exploration of class and youthful recklessness it is.