'Sausage Party' Review

Image from The Guardian

By Darian Scalamoni

            When you think about summer comedies, there hasn’t been many hits this year. Though I was a fan of Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising, everything else has been pretty much misses and unfortunately, though this film has a solid effort and gets some fantastic laughs (especially towards the end), Sausage Party was underwhelming from my original expectations.

            Sausage Party takes place within an American supermarket and stars aisles full of animated groceries who are looking to be cherished by “Gods” (humans) in the greater beyond outside the store. The main hero of the story is a hot dog named Frank (Seth Rogen) and he is trying to fit comfortably in his bun, Brenda (Kristen Wiig) in the greater beyond but an accident ensues and Frank and Brenda are separated by the rest of their sausages and buns. It’s important to know that this film is by far the raunchiest of the year, maybe even ever. That includes a ridiculous sex scene towards the end of the film, but I won’t go into detail.

            This movie gets to levels that are sometime unbearable as it becomes more about the surreal than the comedy. Though there are definite laugh out loud moments, it seems that Rogen and co. are looking more for shock and awe from their audience and if that’s not what was intended, the direction of the film really pushed that on the viewer. Sausage Party will make you lose your appetite and feel uncomfortable due to the content and relentless puns throughout. I will say though, the film is fun, unbelievably hilarious at times and is a very unique idea that only someone like Seth Rogen could create.

            Beyond that, other things I enjoyed were the voice performances and characters. Everyone does a great job in the role they’re given but Nick Kroll and Edward Norton steal the show, in my opinion. There is also a Stephen Hawking-like wad of gum that is portrayed absolutely brilliantly and is demented beyond belief.

The opening of the film focuses heavily on the fact that Frank and Brenda want to have sex but we clearly see that the film has more to cover than just the love story between a wiener and a bun. All of these items are waiting to be bought and bagged to their own version of heaven that is amped up daily by a song sung throughout the aisles by the groceries. Unfortunately though the film starts weak, but is ramped up by the third act which is also the best part of the film. As the twisted premise brings it to new heights and lengths, Sausage Party reaches its full potential by the end and it makes you forget about the underwhelming first act and dull moments that came before it.

            All in all, Sausage Party is a good summer comedy that can’t go much beyond that moniker. There is only so much you can explore in a comedy about food and Sausage Party reaches its limits from creators Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg and Jonah Hill.

7.3/10