The film's animation was handled by the Vancouver-based Nitrogen Studios. It is the first computer-animated film to be rated R by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA). The film's rough cut premiered on March 14, 2016, at South by Southwest, followed by its general theatrical release in the United States on August 12, 2016, by Columbia Pictures. The film received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised its story, animation, soundtrack, voice acting and humor. It grossed $141 million against a budget of $19 million, becoming the highest-grossing R-rated animated film at the time until it was surpassed by Demon Slayer: Mugen Train in 2020. A TV series based on the film called Sausage Party: Foodtopia is set to be released in 2024.
This article will provide an index of the main characters, locations, themes, and references in the film.
Characters
Frank: The main protagonist of the film. He is a sausage who lives in a package with his friends Carl and Barry. He is in love with Brenda, a hot dog bun who lives in a neighboring package. He is voiced by Seth Rogen.
Brenda: The deuteragonist of the film. She is a hot dog bun who lives in a package with her friends Teresa and Sally. She is in love with Frank, but has doubts about their relationship due to their different beliefs. She is voiced by Kristen Wiig.
Carl: A sausage who lives in the same package as Frank and Barry. He is Frank's best friend and supports his quest to find out the truth about the Great Beyond. He is voiced by Jonah Hill.
Barry: A deformed sausage who lives in the same package as Frank and Carl. He is timid and insecure about his appearance. He is voiced by Michael Cera.
Douche: The main antagonist of the film. He is a douche who gets damaged when he falls out of a shopping cart along with Frank and Brenda's packages. He blames Frank for his misfortune and vows to kill him and his friends. He is voiced by Nick Kroll.
Firewater: A bottle of liquor who lives in the liquor aisle. He is the leader of the Non-Perishables, a group of immortal groceries who know the truth about the Great Beyond. He is voiced by Bill Hader.
Mr. Grits: A box of grits who lives in the liquor aisle. He is a member of the Non-Perishables and Firewater's right-hand man. He hates crackers for oppressing his people. He is voiced by Craig Robinson.
Twink: A twinkie who lives in the liquor aisle. He is a member of the Non-Perishables and Firewater's friend. He is gay and has a crush on Barry. He is voiced by Scott Underwood.
Teresa: A taco shell who lives in the same package as Brenda and Sally. She is Brenda's best friend and supports her relationship with Frank. She is secretly lesbian and has a crush on Brenda. She is voiced by Salma Hayek.
Sally: A hot dog bun who lives in the same package as Brenda and Teresa. She is Brenda's friend and a devout believer in the Great Beyond. She is voiced by Lauren Miller.
Sammy Bagel Jr.: A bagel who lives in the international aisle. He is Jewish and has a rivalry with Lavash, an Arabic flatbread who lives in the same aisle. He is voiced by Edward Norton.
Vash: An Arabic flatbread who lives in the international aisle. He is Muslim and has a rivalry with Sammy Bagel Jr., a Jewish bagel who lives in the same aisle. He is voiced by David Krumholtz.
Honey Mustard: A jar of honey mustard who gets returned to the store after being purchased by a human. He suffers from PTSD and tries to warn the other groceries about the horrors of the Great Beyond. He is voiced by Danny McBride.
Kareem Abdul Lavash: A lavash who lives in the international aisle. He is Vash's brother and Sammy Bagel Jr.'s friend. He is voiced by Harland Williams.
Druggie: A human drug addict who purchases Frank and Brenda's packages along with Douche. He injects himself with bath salts, which allows him to see the groceries as sentient beings. He is voiced by James Franco.
Darren: The manager of Shopwell's. He is a human who is unaware of the groceries' sentience. He tries to stop the groceries from escaping the store. He is voiced by Paul Rudd.
Locations
Shopwell's: The supermarket where most of the film takes place. It is filled with anthropomorphic groceries who worship the human shoppers as gods.
The Great Beyond: The supposed utopia where the groceries believe they will go after being purchased by humans. In reality, it is a euphemism for being eaten or used by humans.
The Dark Aisle: A hidden aisle in Shopwell's where the Non-Perishables live. It is filled with ancient and expired groceries who know the truth about the Great Beyond.
The Druggie's Apartment: The apartment where the Druggie lives. It is where Barry and his friends witness the horrors of being eaten by humans.
Themes
Religion and Faith: The film explores the concept of religion and faith through the perspective of the groceries, who have different beliefs and rituals based on their aisles and origins. The film also satirizes various aspects of religion, such as blind faith, fanaticism, intolerance, and hypocrisy.
Sexuality and Identity: The film explores the concept of sexuality and identity through the perspective of the groceries, who have different sexual orientations and preferences based on their types and shapes. The film also celebrates diversity and acceptance, as well as mocks stereotypes and prejudices.
Freedom and Rebellion: The film explores the concept of freedom and rebellion through the perspective of the groceries, who seek to escape their fate of being eaten or used by humans. The film also portrays the struggle and resistance of the oppressed against their oppressors, as well as the power of unity and cooperation.
References
The film contains numerous references to pop culture, such as movies, TV shows, music, celebrities, etc. Some examples are:
The opening song "The Great Beyond" is a parody of Disney musical numbers, such as "Belle" from Beauty and the Beast or "Circle of Life" from The Lion King.
The scene where Frank learns the truth about the Great Beyond from Firewater is a parody of The Matrix, where Neo learns the truth about reality from Morpheus.
The scene where Barry escapes from the Druggie's apartment is a parody of Saving Private Ryan, where soldiers storm Omaha Beach during D-Day.
The scene where Douche absorbs juice from other products to become stronger is a parody of The Terminator, where T-1000 absorbs metal from other objects to regenerate.
The scene where the groceries have a massive orgy after learning the truth is a parody of various pornographic genres, such as hentai, BDSM, interracial, etc.
The scene where the groceries confront the humans in the store is a parody of various horror films, such as The Exorcist, The Shining, Alien, etc.
The scene where the groceries enter a portal to another dimension is a parody of Stargate, where a team of explorers travel to other planets through a wormhole.
The film features several celebrity cameos, such as Meat Loaf as a meat loaf, Michael Cera as a box of macaroni and cheese, Seth Rogen as a bottle of ketchup, etc.
The film also contains references to real-world issues, such as politics, history, culture, religion, etc. Some examples are:
The film criticizes the food industry and its practices, such as animal cruelty, GMOs, pesticides, additives, etc.
The film comments on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through the characters of Sammy Bagel Jr. and Vash, who represent Jews and Arabs respectively.
The film mocks the stereotypes and prejudices that different ethnic groups have towards each other, such as Mexicans being lazy, Germans being Nazis, Indians being smelly, etc.
The film addresses the issues of sexual orientation and gender identity through the characters of Teresa, Twink, and Gum, who represent lesbians, gays, and transgenders respectively.
The film parodies the concept of God and the afterlife through the characters of Firewater and the Great Beyond, who represent a false prophet and a false heaven respectively.
Conclusion
Sausage Party is a film that offers more than just crude humor and vulgar jokes. It is a film that challenges the audience to question their beliefs and assumptions about the world and themselves. It is a film that celebrates diversity and freedom in all forms and shapes. It is a film that pushes the boundaries of animation and comedy to new heights. It is a film that deserves to be watched and enjoyed by anyone who appreciates creativity and originality.
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