'The Floaters' Review: A Sweet, Funny Coming-of-Age Comedy
- Becca Johnson
- Jul 8
- 4 min read
By Becca Johnson - July 8, 2025
Currently on the festival circuit following its recent premiere at Bentonville Film Festival in June, The Floaters is hitting audiences at the perfect time - during the height of summer, where many of us may be reminiscing about our teenage years spent at camp. Offbeat, multigenerational and charming from start to finish, The Floaters is a sweet, funny coming-of-age comedy showcasing authentic Jewish storytelling.
What is 'The Floaters' about?
Freshly ousted from her rock band, Nomi (Jackie Tohn) takes a last-resort job from her best friend Mara (Sarah Podemski) at their childhood Jewish summer camp. As camp director Mara contends with a busted septic system, she tasks Nomi to supervise a group of outsider teens called the ‘Floaters’. When their rival camp - led by Nomi and Mara’s nemesis Daniel (Seth Green) - issues a high stakes challenge with prize money on the line, Nomi pushes the limits and loses Mara’s trust. Now, Nomi and the Floaters must overcome their differences and outperform their rivals to keep the camp alive.
Within its first few frames, The Floaters is effortlessly likable. The characters are lived-in and natural, the sun is beaming down on Camp Daveed and the prospect of a fun-filled 100 minutes scorches upon us. Hanging out with the ‘Floaters’ - the misfit kids who haven’t signed up for any camp activities as they don’t really ‘fit in’ - provides plenty of laughs, and watching them put together their slightly divisive and risky play to win the prize money is highly entertaining. Bound to be nostalgic to those who attended Jewish summer camp back in the day, the activities the kids partake in are all too real, and The Floaters has already been commended by the Jewish community for its accurate portrayal of these camps. Simple yet effective, it’s a fun slice-of-life flick with natural comedy and an instantly lovable story.
Hanging out with the misfits at summer camp may not seem like anything new, but due to its multigenerational approach, The Floaters stands out in its messaging and character arcs. Sure, it has its tropes, from the devilish bullies to wicked pranks, but it also boasts a tremendous amount of heart that gives it edge. Seeing our kids, who rarely fit in or get the chance to make friends, bond with one another and develop their skills through putting on this performance is inspiring to watch. They really get to channel their quirks, and their journey from reluctance to take part to full enjoyment and teamwork is lovely to see. It’s not only our group of teens that get to learn and grow together, but the adults, too. After being ousted from her band, Nomi is going through quite the rough patch. Though her arch nemesis is the leader of their rival camp, and her very embarrassing nip-slip during her own camp still haunts her, she bonds with the kids, gets her mojo back and learns many important lessons of her own. Fit for audiences of all ages due to its development of all characters, The Floaters can be enjoyed by the whole family.
The funny script, simplistic plot and excellent messaging is brought together nicely by the performances. Bigger names like Aya Cash (The Boys) and Seth Green (Family Guy) receive minimal screen time, but still make their mark and it’s fun to have them on board. Lead character Nomi is played by Jackie Tohn (Sisters) and she’s absolutely fantastic, especially when it comes to delivering the comedy - she feels very natural. Starring opposite as bestie Mara is Sarah Podemski (Mekko), who is slightly more sincere and the complete opposite of Nomi, but their friendship is very believable regardless due to the chemistry between the pair. Heading the group of teens is Judah Lewis (The Babysitter), who continues his winning streak of great projects whilst simultaneously giving an equally great performance as Jonah, the spearhead of the wacky idea behind the performance. Notable turns are also delivered by Nina Bloomgarden (The Idea of You) and Jake Ryan (Asteroid City). It’s a real ensemble and they work excellently together.
The Floaters may occasionally fall victim to a lousy joke or two, and the final performance that the entire run-time leads up to isn’t as funny or entertaining as it attempts to be. However, the journey is more than worthwhile, and thanks to an effortlessly talented cast, good development in both characters and themes and authentic Jewish storytelling, The Floaters is a success regardless. If found by the right audience, we may have a cult camp classic on our hands.
'The Floaters' premiered at the Bentonville Film Festival on June 18
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