Ridiculous in the best possible way

Rating: Null/10 (13 August 2016)

The R-rated movie for adults is a rare treat. While Ralph Bakshi made a name for himself with a series of adult animated movies (some of which were actually rated X) in the 1970s and 1980s, very few film directors are willing to produce such crude material in an art form that is most commonly viewed as for kids only. This may be partly due to fear over what the impact such a project could have on the trajectory of one's career, but it probably has more to do with the fact that R-rated feature films don't make any money at the box office, with the exception being amazing South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut. With a budget of only $19 million, the Seth Rogen produced Sausage Party may not be an expensive endeavor, though it certainly seems like it could have been a risky one for his career. Lucky for him, the results are a pretty strong success. An absolutely filthy, incredibly juvenile, and intentionally offensive romp, Sausage Party is just about as bizarre and bold as any movie released by a major studio this year. But more importantly, it's also very, very funny.
Sausage Party is not a ground-breaking comedy classic like the South Park movie, but it's also unlike anything one is likely to see in the next decade. Sausage Party can be seen as a not completely subtle satire of the Disney/Pixar pictures of the past two decades, though even for someone who has never seen a Disney/Pixar film, Sausage Party is probably guaranteed to create hysterical laughter at least a few times, especially for fans of any of the cast members. Seth Rogen voices somewhat of a typical Seth Rogen character, albeit one that is a sausage. As one might expect from a Rogen picture, Jonah Hill and Michael Cera are put in as the best friends, also sausages. James Franco is Druggie, whose character name is pretty self-explanatory. Meanwhile, Kristen Wiig is Rogen's romantic interest, a hot dog bun. All of this is twice as outrageous and stupid as it sounds. However, it's also more clever than it should be most of the time, and always fun to watch, even during scenes that are rather gross and violent. Those scenes, as much as they might seem be in the film for shock value, are also highly effective. I never knew what was coming during Sausage Party and frequently found myself surprised by what would happen next, which is something I can almost never say about studio comedies.
As great as Sausage Party can be, it unfortunately can't sustain itself completely for its short 89-minute running time. While never a chore to watch, the last 15-20 minutes aren't quite as good as what came before it, and the movie kind limps to its conclusion. The ending could have been a lot better, although it by no means destroys the overall enjoyment of the film. Just like most animated features these days, the end of Sausage Party hints at a sequel. Sausage Party will no doubt be successful given its small budget, though I hope there isn't a follow-up. There is no way Sausage Party 2 could feel as fresh and surprising. Sausage Party itself may not hold upon repeat viewings as so many of the jokes are based on shock value. But based on my one viewing so far, Sausage Party is ridiculous in the best possible way, and one of the most entertaining movies of the summer. 7/10