Incoming is a2024 teenage comedy movie that takes a plunge into the highly unpredictable and chaotic world of adolescence. It aims to capture the essence of high school party comedies like Superbad and Booksmart by telling the story of four freshmen trying to reshape their identity during the first week of high school. The film uses a blend of outrageous humor with coming-of-age storytelling and attempts to weave in the energetic teenage supernova of ambition and shameful awkwardness through the lens of the Chernin brothers. It focuses on character-driven humor, but loses the battle of standing out in the over-saturated teenage flick genre.
Synopsis
The focus of Incoming follows a group of four best friends Benj, Eddie, Connor, and Koosh, who are stepping into high school with one singular goal in mind – shedding their nerdy image and rising to social prominence. The movie starts with Benj, the self-appointed head of the group, trying desperately to show off to his sister and her popular friends that he is capable of so much more than just being the typical dorky younger sibling. He has his eyes set on Bailey, his sister’s best friend who happens to be a longtime secret crush.
Benj persuades his mates to sneak into an epic upperclassmen back-to-school bash. All they want is to socialize, engage with some girls, and establish their presence. Nonetheless, chaos ensues. An accidental drug stunt leads to a trip to the ER, a car heist spirals into a subplot with a teacher, and failed attempts to flirt lead to cringeworthy characters strewn about. At one stage, the boys have no choice but to join forces with their bane, the rival freshman class, to escape the colleague’s wrath.
As the evening drags on, each boy must reckon with a personal fear. Eddie, the most reserved and quiet of the group, surprises himself with an unexpected talent for belting songs in front of large audiences. Koosh comes to terms with the reality that he is not “cool” and Connor finally confronts his domineering older brother. Benj finds himself the victim of fluke after fluke, but ultimately learns the most—that winning Bailey’s affection does not require changing himself, and certainly, not in an attempt to impress her.
The characters, now injuried and wiser, return to school at the end of the movie. While their reputations may not have ascended to the heights they desired, the experiences they went through together strengthened their friendships and forged a new sense of identity.
Cast & Characters
The cast of Incoming contains a mix of up-and-coming young stars and seasoned comedic actors:
In his feature film role, Mason Thames stars as an optimistic and awkward freshman, Benj Nielsen, who has fantasies of climbing the social ladder and being involved in relationships.
The most reserved member of the group is Connor, played by Raphael Alejandro. Connor is the quiet brain of the group and experiences the largest emotional journey.
Eddie is portrayed by Ramon Reed. He is the moral centre of the group and arguably the most relatable of the quartet.
Koosh, played by Bardia Seiri, is the wild card and source of comic relief who causes even more disarray with his antics.
Isabella Ferreira features as Bailey, Benj’s crush, who turns out to be more empathetic than he imagined. Of course, she is also Benj’s sister’s best friend.
Alyssa is portrayed by Ali Gallo, former toddler intern of The Ellen DeGeneres Show. She plays Benj’s sister who anchors the plot a bit with some wisdom from her older sibling perspective.
The boys’ eccentric, overly concerned mom, Ms. Nielsen, is played by Kaitlin Olson. Benj and Alyssa’s mother dons the role of the boys’ overprotective mother.
As the boys’ science teacher who gets humorously caught up in their party escapades, Bobby Cannavale brightens up a number of moments as Mr. Studebaker.
Behind the Scenes
Chernin brothers, well-known for their comedic escapades on TV, brings a unique touch to this film. Aside from crude humor and awkward situations, the script captures tenderness — a staple of the genre. One of the main producers is Nicholas Stoller, famous for Neighbors and Forgetting Sarah Marshall, who partnered with Conor Welch, Todd Garner, and others.
Ricardo Diaz’s cinematography uses vibrant hues that capture warmth against the cold walls of classroom and high school settings, as well as the chaotic glow of house parties. Synths and pop-punk anthems track blending by Jonathan Sadoff guarantee the youthful vibe throughout the film. The editing work by Elizabeth Praino and Josh Crockett maintains a fast pace, though some rapid emotional to comedic beats feels unreasonably sudden.
IMDb Rating and Reception
As of early 2025, Incoming holds an IMDb rating of 4.6/10, which indicates a fairly average reception from viewers. A number of people praised the youthful exuberance of the actors and the stunning heartstring moments but an equal, if not greater number, condemned the movie’s hackneyed plots and juvenile gags. The humor tends to be quite polarizing, but the young cast members do try their best, though they are undermined by the script far too often.
Jessica Alba’s return to action and other such over-the-top roles led to discourse concerning female protagonists in action laden films that focus on males, but Incoming approaches such questions in a more traditional manner. The women are not fully fleshed out, but they are not overt stereotypes either. They mostly pivot around the storylines of the male leads.
That said, teenage audiences and younger audiences may derive enough pleasure from the film’s antics and appreciate it as a fun teenage comedy. It does not intend to be The Breakfast Club – people want to unwind with it on a chaotic Friday night and reminisce about the laughable binge-worthy antics on a Monday morning.
Concluding Remarks
While Incoming may not break new ground, it fulfills its commitment to delivering a teenage comedy that is outrageous—though at times uneven—in its portrayal of mischief. The film’s youthful cast makes heart and features the sort of spirited performances that suggest they will have promising careers. Sadly, the film plays it safe all too often, succumbing to familiar predictability and unoriginal beats instead of pushing the limits of teen story telling creativity.
For anyone in search of an easy, light-hearted laugh with a nostalgic take on high school the Incoming is a decent one time watch. However, do not expect it to remain in your thoughts long after the credits roll.
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