Dave and John Chernin attempt to replicate the success of classic teen comedies like Can’t Hardly Wait and American Pie, but their film Incoming does not live up to these expectations.
While films like Booksmart, Blockers, and Good Boys demonstrate how R-rated teen comedies can succeed in today’s world, Incoming undermines this progress.
Instead, it relies on low-level humor, including numerous toilet jokes and misguided attempts to critique the 2000s era of sex comedies. Only a few moments may make you smile, but the rest of the film is filled with awkward situations and fails to deliver any real humor or laughs.
What Is ‘Incoming’ About?
In Incoming, Mason Thames stars as Benj Nielsen, a socially awkward freshman eager to start high school on a high note. Benj’s friends are not much cooler, but they remain hopeful. Connor (Raphael Alejandro), who is anxious and nicknamed “Fetus,” and Eddie (Ramon Reed), who is a timid pushover, join Benj.
Although they are not the most popular group, Danah ‘Koosh’ Koushani (Bardia Seiri), an aspiring social media star, claims he can get them into a VIP party. Will this party mark the beginning of an exciting new chapter for Benj and his friends, or will their night devolve into a complete disaster?
A Disappointing Subplot
One major subplot in Incoming revolves around internet celebrity Loren Gray and focuses heavily on crude jokes about excrement. This subplot mainly deals with a drunk girl, late-night Taco Bell runs, and poop, and it falls flat humor-wise.
Two important characters are closely linked to Loren Gray’s character for most of the movie, and this subplot does not contribute any meaningful content. Although high school comedies have never been known for their intellectual depth, Incoming offers even less than some of the lesser-known direct-to-video sequels.
Missed Opportunities for Insight
Incoming occasionally attempts to make insightful points. For instance, Danah’s creepy control room, which allows him to spy on the party through surveillance cameras, touches on how movies like American Pie make inappropriate behavior seem funny.
Both Benj and Danah recognize that such behavior is unacceptable. However, Danah quickly returns to his voyeuristic activities, which contradicts the film’s brief moments of critical reflection. Whenever the film seems poised to address a significant issue, it loses focus and instead embraces the very clichés it tried to criticize.
Wasted Talent and Missed Potential
The screenplay by the Chernins is disappointingly uninspired. Characters like Danah and Kayvon Koushani (Kayvan Shai) are mere replicas of characters from other shows. Bobby Cannavale’s role as Mr. Studebaker is marred by cringe-worthy scenes where he teaches lessons while getting drunk with minors.
The coming-of-age elements of the film are superficial, and the high school stereotypes feel tired and outdated. Benji’s attempt to ask out his crush Bailey (Isabella Ferreira) ends in an unsatisfying manner right before the film’s abrupt conclusion.
The film relies on tired jokes and clichés, like “cattle prod to balls” or “sex with your mom” jokes, which are as uninspired as the pranks it features.
A Disappointing Final Product
Despite having a talented cast that includes Kaitlin Olson, Gattlin Griffith, and Scott MacArthur, their performances lack depth and fail to elevate the film.
Incoming plays it safe and does not push any boundaries. The humor and scenarios are predictable, and the cast’s potential is not fully realized. The film feels lighthearted in a way that misses the mark and ends up feeling juvenile and shallow.
Andy Warhol’s quote, “Art is what you can get away with,” applies to Incoming. The film recycles old, controversial methods from teen comedies without adding humor to make them work.
It lacks the edge and comedy needed to stand out and falls short of the success achieved by movies like American Pie. Incoming ends up being a significant disappointment and would likely be picked last in a gym class of teen comedies. The film is now available for streaming on Netflix in the U.S.
