Overview
The Package is an American teen comedy film of 2018; it is directed by Jake Szymanski and written by Kevin Burrows and Matt Mider. Released on Netflix and produced by Ben Stiller’s Red Hour Films, the film is notable for its outrageous premise, lowbrow humor, and its strikingly absurd take on the teen movie formula.
The package might appear at first as yet another addition to the long list of teenage sex comedies, but the distinguishing premise of a desperate race to save a severed penis sets it apart from the rest. The film strikes a balance between being unbearably absurd and juvenile while showcasing true friendship and injecting genuine emotion into all its outlandish antics.
Plot Summary
The narrative opens with a set of high school friends attending a spring break camping trip. Among this group are sensitive nerd Alex (Daniel Doheny), Sean (Eduardo Franco), the adrenaline junkie Donnie (Luke Spencer Roberts), intelligent Becky (Geraldine Viswanathan), and Sarah (Sadie Calvano), who used to date Sean.
The weekend commences in a rather mundane fashion, as adolescents joke and drink, but soon takes a strange and painful turn when Donnie, while drunk and playing with a butterfly knife, accidentally severs his own penis. This horrific accident initiates the film’s primary conflict: preserving the severed organ in a manner that allows for timely transport to the hospital for reattachment surgery.
Due to a miscommunication and subsequent error in the packaging, the penis is mistakenly sent away to Alex and Sean who are already on their way back to town in a beer cooler. Meanwhile, Becky and Sarah choose to stay with Donnie, only to later realize the mistake that they have made. From this point, the film splits into two major threads. The first thread follows Alex and Sean on their chaotic attempt to return the severed member on time while the second thread follows Becky and Sarah’s attempts to get Donnie to the hospital, and cope with the absurdity of their situation.
At its core, however, the film is also about friendship, along with teenage awkwardness, and the boundless, illogical yet sincere loyalty that can develop between close-knit friends during a crisis. What follows is a collection of misadventures such as unintentional encounters with law enforcement, strange animal attacks, vomiting, irrationally awkward romantic confessions, and more.
Characters and Performances
Daniel Doheny as Alex
Alex operates as the film’s emotional base. He has a relentless crush on Sarah, and is shy and deeply insecure, so the absurd mission does not do him any favors. Doheny captures Alex’s deep discomfort well, adding some authenticity to an otherwise zany story.
Eduardo Franco as Sean
The film’s comedic anchor is Sean, who brings his signature brand of absurdity mixed with tenderheartedness. Franco, famous for his role in Booksmart, effortlessly delivers over-the-top physical comedy while simultaneously showing genuine concern for his friends.
Geraldine Viswanathan as Becky
Becky possesses perhaps the most appealing and rational persona in the film. Viswanathan, who has since become a rising star in comedy, brings refreshing sarcasm mixed with warmth, exuding a no-nonsense attitude. Because of her performance, the material transcends pure slapstick.
Sadie Calvano as Sarah
Sarah’s character introduces an emotional subplot in the film with her already strained relationship with Sean. Her dynamic with Alex and Sean adds some complexity to the otherwise outrageous premise and fosters some romance.
Luke Spencer Roberts as Donnie
Even though he spends a good portion of the film in a state of pain or sedation, his flashbacks and early scenes portray him as the group’s charming dunce. Donnie’s mishap sets everything in motion, and Roberts portrays the character with fearless dedication.
Direction and Style
Szymanski is known for directing Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates, and here, like with The Package, he maintains his signature breathless chaos. His style relies on absurdity piled upon absurdity, particularly in concept-driven works, and this film provides a lot of opportunities for that. The pacing is quick, with set pieces crafted to add one cringeworthy obstacle after another.
Along with the rest of the cinematography, the polishing exemplifies a brighter, cleaner finish characteristic of modern teen comedies. The sprawling wilderness of the Pacific Northwest is ironically vibrant and striking, especially considering the nature of the mission and serving as a strange yet funny background for the chaos.
Themes and Analysis
Friendship and Loyalty
Underneath the surface containing the crude humor, there’s a storyline talking about enduring friendship. The characters in and outside the film go to extreme lengths for Donnie, and not just because of how absurd the situation is. The film makes the point in a rather comical way that friendships tend to be remarkably chaotic yet strong and supportive.
Humor Related to Sexuality and the Body
Body humor, especially surrounding male anatomy, will not resonate with every viewer. The film does not shy away from detail, but it handles the situation with some degree of empathy. While the fear and pain of Donnie is somewhat laughable, the film still manages to balance humanity and outrageousness.
Developmental Aspects
Rather typical of a teen comedy, The Package is about personal journeys, crushes never confessed, and the process of growing older. Alex needs to deal with his feelings towards Sarah and muster some confidence, Sean comes to terms with his emotional stuntedness, and even in pain, Donnie ponders his relationships. Though minor, these plot lines add a layer of character development to the otherwise shallow embrace of slapstick humor.
The Package has received mixed reviews from critics. Some applauded the film for its over-the-top premise while also finding genuine humor in the film – especially among those who enjoy crude teenage films. On the opposing side, the film was heavily critiqued for an abundance of crude jokes and weak storytelling. Aside from critcism, the performances of the film, especially those by Geraldine Viswanathan and Eduardo Franco, were widely regarded as superb for their playful yet sarcastic approach to the content.
Fans of offbeat comedies like Superbad, American Pie, or Harold & Kumar surely enjoyed The Package to be a funny, if not crude, entry to the genre. The film quickly developed a niche following on Netflix because of its outrageous premise and binge-worthy pace.
Final thoughts
The Package is triumphantly bizarre and raunchy in the vein of binge-worthy teen comedies. The premise offers an exploration into the extremes of friendship and the most awkward moments of growing up. It is more than just audacious though: while it offers a barrage of eye-watering offense, it guarantees laugh out loud wit from start to finish.
Wrapped in a heartwarming tale of friends is the crude humor and outrageous plot that, despite all of the flaws and misadventures, care for each other. In an amost generic genre, The Package dares to be different—graphic, vulgar, gross, but oddly heartwarming. For the case of outrageous yet oddly heartwarming, The Package will make itself a worthwhile journey.
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