When you think of animated films, one usually defaults to Pixar or Disney, for their wholesome family features. Usually the comedy is for the adults as they’re cleverly written and the bright colours and lovely creatures for the kids. The whole family goes to the film and comes out with smiles and happiness…usually. Then there are other groups of people, that have an original idea, to make a fully adult oriented animated film to show that animation isn’t just for families, its for those who want more raunchiness out of their films.
The last R-rated animated film I can remember was Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut. Which was exactly what you wanted, an unrated South Park movie, they had more freedom to do whatever they felt like really. Flash forward 17 years to 2016, and we have a brand new R-Rated animated film by the named of Sausage Party.
Sausage Party is directed by Greg Tiernan and Conrad Vernon, two directors I am not familiar with at all really, but upon looking at their filmography Conrad Vernon directed Shrek 2, Monsters Vs. Aliens, and Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted. Greg Tiernan, ironically and hilariously to me, directed most, if not all of Thomas the train engine & Friends spinoff films and specials…I guess he got tired of doing kids stuff and wanted to shake things up a bit. The story is written by Kyle Hunter and Ariel Shaffir who wrote The Night Before (2015), the ever funny writing duo of Seth Rogan and Evan Goldberg who wrote Superbad (2007), Pineapple Express (2008), The Watch (2012), This Is The End (2013), The Interview (2014), The Night Before (2015) and Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising (2016). Even Jonah Hill has a writing credit on Sausage Party. Hill is of major acting fame, being nominated for two oscars, but he actually had a hand in the screenplay of 21 Jump Street (2012) and 22 Jump Street (2014).
Sausage Party is about everyday life of food in the supermarket, they think life is all about getting to the “great beyond” (they believe life is waiting for them outside the grocery store) which they think is a great place because they think they’re fulfilling their destiny and they’ll be happy… but they’re wrong. The film follows a sausage named Frank (voiced by Seth Rogan) who attempts to discover the truth about his existence in the world. The love interest, Brenda Buns, (of course she’s a bun, she has to be compatible with the sausage…many innuendoes follow) is voiced by Kirsten Wiig of SNL fame and who was in Bridesmaids (2011), and Ghostbusters reboot (2016). The usual crew of Seth Rogans friends are here in the film too, including Danny McBride as Honey Mustard, Michael Cera as Barry – fellow sausage, Jonah Hill as Carl – another sausage, James Franco as Druggie, Bill Hader as Firewater, Tequila, and El Guaco, Salma Hayek as Teresa Taco, Nick Kroll as Douche, Craig Robinson as Mr. Grits, Paul Rudd as Darren, and lastly a newcomer to the Rogen Clan… Edward Norton as Sammy Bagel, Jr. Everyone is present except Jay Baruchel who I believe wasn’t in the film as he is busy writing and directing a sequel to Seann William Scott’s film Goon (2011). The new film will be called Goon: Last of The Enforcers due out in 2017. Its always a lot of fun to have all these great actors with great chemistry be presented on screen. They’ve been through so much together and appeared in so many films in the last few years, that even their chemistry simply through voice acting, is still really strong.
My friend Sara and I have been discussing lately that there hasn’t been a really funny movie come out in the last little while, that we haven’t come out of and would quote it endlessly or quote a lot. But I feel like that void of a quotable movie is filled with Sausage Party. It would definitely be a film to see, if you think you can handle it. There is a lot and I mean a lot of sexual innuendoes, countless F-bombs, multiple stereotypes. Its definitely not for everyone, but if you’re a fan of Seth Rogan and his crew who make these films… you already know what to expect, and you’ve probably already seen the movie.
My favourite part of the movie was the many references to other films that they had, parodies or homages if you will. They parodied Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), Saving Private Ryan (1998), The Matrix (1999), The Wizard of Oz (1939). I’m always a sucker for references to other movies, especially now that I am older and I understand them. Its kind of like going back to old Simpsons episodes that I used to watch as a kid, I now get them as an adult.
I think my favourite scene involved Meat Loaf’s “I Would Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That)”… you’ll see.
My gripe against the film is that in the middle-ish, the movie slowed down to a crawl for a period of time. In a film that is an hour and a half, the film shouldn’t really have a low part, it should be interesting, quick and to the point for the entire run time. Its not like it didn’t pick back up after a while, but I felt my interest dwindle for a little bit. I find that with most of the Seth Rogan and Crew films, they start great, they end great, but around the middle its like they hit a wall a little bit…and they slow right down. I guess its to be expected.
I would still say that This Is The End (2013) and Superbad (2007) are tied for my favourite Rogan and Crew movie, but I really enjoyed Sausage Party for the hilarity that was placed throughout, there were moments I was laughing so hard that I had tears rolling down my face and my stomach hurt. Thats what I look for in a comedic film, If I cry from laughing so hard at many different parts, its a successful comedy film.
I give Sausage Party a 4/5.
Until Next Time!
-Andrew