Incoming (2024) is a Netflix teen comedy film directed by Dave and John Chernin in their feature debut. The movie follows a group of high school freshmen, led by Benjamin Nielsen, as they navigate typical teenage struggles, including their infatuation towards senior and junior, teenage gang culture friendship, and trying to reinvent themselves.
Benj is eager to make an impression on his older sister Alyssa’s friend, and sophomore-year high school student, Bailey, while his friends, Eddie, Connor, and Koosh, each have their own goals for high school.
The film‘s chaotic humor stems from a series of misadventures, including a party gone wrong, a car theft, and an accidental drug mishap. Along the way, their chemistry teacher Mr. Studebaker gets involved in the madness, adding to the hilarity.
Released on Netflix in August 2024, Incoming features a cast led by Mason Thames as Benj, Bobby Cannavale as Mr. Studebaker, and Kaitlin Olson as Ms. Nielsen.
Although the film’s reception has been mixed, with a low rating on both Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic, it’s gained attention for its comedic set pieces and youthful energy. the film is has more than 5 million views on Netflix retaining the number position globally.
Plotline
Benj’s Fresh Start: A New Year of High School Adventures
Benj is about to enter his freshman year of high school, determined to reinvent himself and hoping to catch the attention of Bailey, his older sister Alyssa’s friend. His buddies Eddie and Connor are just as eager to make their mark, while Koosh, another friend, aims to live up to his older brother’s party reputation.
The Unexpected Carpool Incident
Benj’s school carpool driver, senior student Ruby, pulls him into an unexpected situation, selling vitamins to skaters instead of the MDMA they were expecting.
Meanwhile, Koosh persuades his friends to attend a party hosted by his older brother, and while Eddie and Connor hesitate, Benj sees it as the perfect opportunity to pursue Bailey.
A Party to Remember
When Benj, Eddie, and Connor arrive at the party, Koosh reveals that only one of them can stay, and Benj convinces the others to let him be the one.
As Alyssa and Bailey arrive, Benj briefly talks with them before finding himself mingling with older, rowdier students.
At the same time, the school’s chemistry teacher, Mr. Studebaker, shows up and quickly becomes drunk.
A Wild Ride for Eddie and Connor
Back at Eddie’s house, Connor grows bored and convinces Eddie to take his mom’s boyfriend’s Tesla to the party.
Things take a strange turn when a drunk girl, Katrina, mistakes their car for an Uber and passes out after they grab Taco Bell. Chaos ensues when she has an unfortunate accident in the backseat, and Eddie nearly crashes the car.
The boys debate leaving her at the fire department but instead decide to care for her and clean the car.
Drama Unfolds at the Party
At the party, Alyssa’s ex-girlfriend criticizes her for being too negative, while Mr. Studebaker accidentally sets himself on fire and jumps into the pool.
Ruby warns Benj that the skaters he ripped off have arrived. When confronted, Ruby pins all the blame on Benj and ends up getting punched.
Before Benj can get into serious trouble, Koosh’s older brother steps in, and Ruby attacks one of the skaters with a cattle prod, triggering a full-blown fight.
Alyssa accidentally gets her nose broken, and Mr. Studebaker gets electrocuted. Benj seizes the moment, kisses Bailey, and learns that she shares his feelings. Meanwhile, Koosh stages a meet-cute with a girl named Gabrielle by pretending they are trapped in his family’s indoor spa.
Benj’s Wild Night Takes a Turn
As the night goes on, Benj mingles with Bailey and finds himself peer-pressured by older students into snorting what he thinks is cocaine.
It turns out to be Ketamine, and Benj quickly spirals into a dissociative state. Bailey finds him, gets upset, and leaves.
The Party Crashes
The police show up to break up the party. Koosh’s romantic plan fails when he slips on some water and injures his shoulder, but he and Alyssa bond over their hospital visit. Meanwhile, Mr. Studebaker’s melted key fob prevents him from driving home.
The Aftermath
The next morning, Benj gets scolded by his mom but confides in Alyssa, who tells him to just be himself—it’s who Bailey likes. Katrina, now awake, confronts Eddie and Connor before awkwardly leaving in embarrassment.
Eddie finally stands up to his mom’s annoying boyfriend, and at a school pep rally, Katrina defends Eddie and Connor from bullies. She also apologizes and thanks them for their kindness and discretion. Inspired by Alyssa’s advice, Benj serenades Bailey with a Stevie Wonder song in front of the school, but she publicly rejects him.
However, as she walks away, she secretly winks at him. Studebaker lost his job as a teacher for his involvement in the teenage madness.
End Credits
In a post-credits scene, Principal Hutchens fires Mr. Studebaker after a video of his wild partying with students surfaces.
Cast
- Mason Thames as Benj Nielsen
- Ramon Reed as Eddie
- Raphael Alejandro as Connor
- Isabella Ferreira as Bailey
- Bardia Seiri as Danah “Koosh” Koushani
- Loren Gray as Katrina Aurienna
- Ali Gallo as Alyssa Nielsen
- Kaitlin Olson as Ms. Nielsen
- Bobby Cannavale as Mr. Studebaker
- Scott MacArthur as Dennis
- Thomas Barbusca as Ruby
- Kim Hawthorne as Principal Hutchens
- Victoria Moroles as Gabrielle
- Kayvan Shai as Kayvon Koushani
Production Details
The film marks the feature debut of writers and directors Dave Chernin and John Chernin.
It is produced by Nicholas Stoller, Conor Welch, Todd Garner, Peter Principato, Ben Silverman, Mark Korshak, and Peter Oillataguerre. Netflix acquired the rights to the film in November 2023. The movie stars Mason Thames, Bobby Cannavale, Kaitlin Olson, and Scott MacArthur, along with Bardia Seiri, Ramon Reed, and Raphael Alejandro.
First-look images were released in July 2024.
Release
The movie became available for streaming on Netflix on August 23, 2024.
Reception
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a 23% approval rating based on 26 reviews, with an average score of 4/10. Metacritic assigned it a score of 38 out of 100, indicating generally unfavourable reviews from eight critics.
