This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
The animated "Sausage Party" is jaw-dropping in its level of crude humor, even more than you might expect from Seth Rogen and his buddies getting stoned and telling penis jokes, which is what (I'm guessing) the script sessions were like.
Rogen gives voice to Frank, one of a pack of 10 hot dogs waiting to be bought along with his love, Brenda (voiced by Kristen Wiig), a bun on the same shelf. The products at this store believe that "the Gods" will choose them and take them to "The Great Beyond." When Frank learns the horrific truth, that "the Gods" will devour him and all his friends, he tries to warn everyone but finds the others aren't willing to forsake their long-held beliefs.
Rogen and his writing crew go for every food-related double-entendre and stereotypes for every nationalities and ethnicities — such as the lavash bread (voiced by David Krumholtz) who complains that Sammy Bagel Jr. (voiced by Edward Norton) and his kosher foods have occupied the Middle Eastern aisle.
The 20 minutes of smart humor here is nearly lost amid the bad puns and juvenile sex humor, including a finale that takes the phrase "food porn" to ridiculously literal extremes.
'Sausage Party'
Opening Friday, Aug. 12, in theaters everywhere; rated R for strong crude sexual content, pervasive language, and drug use; 89 minutes.