Film Review – House Party (2023)

It takes a lot to be known as the worst “House Party” movie, but here we are. The original 1990 film is pretty much a classic at this point, and while it contains scenes that’ve aged horribly, the picture remains a joyous, hilarious endeavor, with writer/director Reginald Hudlin capturing the wiliness of youth and the broadness of comedy, making for an irresistible overnight adventure with earnest, playful characters. Sequels arrived and quality dipped, with the last installment, 2013’s “House Party: Tonight’s the Night,” trying to restart the series engine. Enter LeBron James, who’s partially in charge of bringing the brand name back, making the new “House Party” all about him, with remake duties handed to director Calmatic and screenwriters Jamal Olori and Stephen Glover. It’s difficult to understand if James and Co. have even seen the first feature, as the remake shares none of the fun and mischief, quickly getting lost in DOA jokes, poor characterization, and an obsession with marijuana moments. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com