It’s increasingly hard to bring R-rated sex comedies to the screen.
We can stream almost any type of debauchery, but the cultural overlords wince at teens acting like … teens.
Too much:
White Privilege
Patriarchy on steroids
Problematic jokes
So “Incoming,” a Netflix original in the “American Pie” mold, plays out like a blast from the past.
Sort of.
Given the sorry state of modern film comedy, a “close enough” mark gets our attention
Freshman Benj (Mason Thames) and friends are ready to make their mark in high school, but it won’t be easy. Bullies roam the halls. Girls confound them. And, as freshmen, they’re on the bottom rung of the high school hierarchy.
They get a chance to climb said ladder when Koosh (Bardia Seiri) co-hosts a parent-less party during the first week of school.
If you think you’ve seen this all before, you’re right. To a point.
“Incoming” doesn’t meddle with the teen sex comedy formula for a good half hour. You have the nice guy pining for the unattainable girl (Isabella Ferreira), the nerd (Raphael Alejandro) trying to shake a calamitous nickname and Eddie (Ramon Reed) struggling to maintain his dignity in an undignified space.
The leads are all charming enough, and the screenplay offers enough morsels to keep our attention.
So far, so predictable, but it goes down easier than expected. (There still should be a law about shooting our young heroes in slow motion to dent their geeky exteriors…)
Mason Thames knows how to survive a high school party. Incoming premieres August 23! pic.twitter.com/4RhQJIxq7B
— Netflix (@netflix) August 7, 2024
Then co-directors Dave and John Chernin spike the punch. We meet Mr. Studebaker (Bobby Cannavale), the hip science teacher who drops by the party for far too long. He’s a bold, original character given an embarrassing amount of charm by Cannavale.
He’s the film’s funniest character by a long shot.
Belly laughs are in short supply, which should be devastating for a teen comedy. Yet “Incoming” is consistently humorous – there’s a difference. The exception? One extended gag that would make the Farrelly brothers blush.
It’s disgusting and clever – exactly what you crave in a teen sex comedy.
But is it woke? Not quite.
Yes, the cast is more diverse than your average ’80s teen comedy. We have same-sex couples and male characters occasionally lapse into, “you can do anything you choose” mini-lectures to their female crushes.
RELATED: WOKE KILLED COMEDY (AND THE NUMBERS PROVE IT)
The story’s tone and honesty still win the day. It’s boys being boys, but like the better sex comedies, there’s a moral lesson or two in play.
That matters, then and now.
You expect the film’s big party to be the story’s defining moment. Yet the narrative takes us in surprising directions in the final act. Not every decision works, but the film’s bruised heart carries us through the occasional misstep.
Supporting players make “Incoming” stick, and the female characters are neither girl bosses nor deified for maximum empowerment.
Ferreira’s Bailey is refreshing and three-dimensional, a worthy object of Benj’s affections. We wish “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’s” Kaitlin Olson had more to do as a put-upon parent, but other supporting players make the most of their screen time.
The biggest surprise? A very game Loren Gray shines as Katrina, the school’s most popular bombshell. To say any more would spoil the fun.
“Incoming” still feels like it’s holding back at times, but it comes closer to the zaniness that once gave life to teen comedies.
Breathe it in. It’s called freedom. Or as close as we get in 2024.
HiT or Miss: “Incoming” isn’t the signature sex comedy for our times, but it’s fresh enough to feel like something we’ve sorely missed.
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