An experimental characterization of the mechanical properties in a low-density polyethylene (LDPE) film is performed in this article. Anisotropy in LDPE at different in-plane material orientations is measured from the stress–strain response and digital image correlation observations of the specimens under uniaxial tension. Finite element simulation of in-plane anisotropy of the material is carried out in Abaqus R2020 using available models like von Mises, Hill 48, Barlat Yld91, and Barlat Yld2004-18P. To express the mechanical behavior at larger strain, a suitable hardening extrapolation model is selected from a trial of several extrapolation models. To validate the simulation methods and the material characterization process, finite element simulation results such as force displacement and strain distribution are compared with the experimental data showing good agreement. Finally, a calibrated anisotropic yield model together with ductile failure criterion is shown to successfully simulate the response of precracked LDPE film under tension. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into the modeling of LDPE polymer films with and without cracks using different anisotropic yield functions and largely simplifies material characterization with some tradeoffs. Copyright © 2024 by ASTM International