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House Party 2

"Jamal, do me a favor? Talk white."

[year/rating] 1991 R [genre] Musical Comedy [director] George Jackson, Doug McHenry [starring] Kid Play Martin Lawrence Queen Latifah

Tagline

The pajama jam!

Summary Capsule

Play loses all of Kid's college tuition money, and they throw a party to raise the cash back. Or maybe it was Kid that lost Play's money. I can't remember which is which.

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Justin's Rating: Everybody, if you can, do the Bartman!
Justin's Review: It’s not a very good sign that my entire body moaned "Wearyyyyyy" going into just the second of a four-film, self-imposed marathon. The first House Party left me apathetic to both houses and parties alike, which left no great hope that a quickly churned-out sequel starring a pair of has-been rappers would be winning any Oscars — or my heart.

"I suppose there’s a bottom line of equality and tolerance, except that I don’t tolerate crap, and these films are loaded with fatty crap through and through."

One year later in the Kid ‘n Play Universe, the cause of comedy and hip-hop has taken many bold strides backwards. Kid (Christopher Reid), the one with the really tall hair and skin whiter than mine, is off to college. His associate Play (Christopher Martin), the one who looks somewhat like Theo from The Cosby Show, is running one of those record shops where musicians lounge around and wait for record deals to walk through the door. Play loses Kid’s tuition money, and they putz around until about the one hour mark, when they finally throw a party on campus to raise the money for Kid’s education. Yes, that’s correct. It’s one freakin’ hour of pointless filler before we get to the promised party, which lasts for no more than sixteen minutes and really isn’t that great anyway. You remember that party in Real Genius, where Val Kilmer throws a beach blast in the college auditorium? That’s like twenty times cooler than House Party 2’s idea of bouncing people in very modest pajamas.

We really couldn’t be saddled with two sorrier excuses for actors, who I gather mainly appeared in this movie to show off their funky dance moves and sell more albums. Yeah, that worked for Vanilla Ice in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2, too. Play’s supposed to be this womanizing, Han Solo-ish rogue, but it keeps coming back to: Theo. Theo minus a brain. And don’t get me started on Kid, who doesn’t exactly fit in with normal human anatomy — his bug eyes grate on me more than any of the cheesy dialogue present in this flick — and whose style of passive-aggressive characterization makes Charlie Brown seem like a dashing, decisive hero. We’re supposed to feel for Kid as he struggles with his girlfriend (who falls under the spell of a politically correct Queen Latifah — YES, you read that correctly), learns that studying equals powah, and gets a job in the college kitchen, but none of these things are interesting even to Kid himself. Why should I care?

I’m confused, too, with every single mention of race in both of the first two House Party flicks. They play the racism card fast and frequently in various guises, but its use is never consistent. Are they trying to empower the African American community? I really doubt it. Are they just making mildly racist jokes that are okay because black people are saying them? But real jokes are supposed to be funny. I suppose there’s a bottom line of equality and tolerance, except that I don’t tolerate crap, and these films are loaded with fatty crap through and through.

With some zippy quotes and a more creative use of the college scene, House Party 2 might’ve been something notable. As it is, the only real push for a comedic tone involves using Looney Tunes sound effects (for example, one of the characters gets insulted and the soundtrack makes a weird "boing-oing-oing" sound effect to punctuate the lack of a punch line) and weird camera techniques, all of which just bring the total effort to a strictly sophomoric level.

The key word here is "panders", as in every other scene in House Party 2 panders to the fans of the original film by directly referring to the first movie. Line for line, if need be. Listen, if I wanted to hear quotes and watch scenes from the first House Party, I would, I don’t know, rent the first movie! GAH!

Maybe I should just lighten up, considering that no sane person would hold high standards to a sequel rushed through production a mere year after the first film proved a modest success. I would, except that I had to spend time watching this, and some movie studio and budget directors thought that I was dumb enough to just swallow the watered-down remains of a tepid movie and ask for thirds. Oh, I’ll drink the thirds too, but I’m planning on leaving a little "house party" of my own at all the homes of New Line executives.

Now, who’s coming, and who’s bringing the TP?

Credited as "Monkey Boy" You go, girl! I mean it... keep going. We're staying here, far, far away from where you're going. Martin... you should've known better, dude Didja Notice? [some sources: IMDb] Whoopi Goldberg appearing in your dreams is not a good omen Kid’s girlfriend’s baseball cap is about three feet tall Play’s car’s license plate reads "FORPLAY". Clever. Wait, the opposite of clever. Noclever. A movie poster for "New Jack City", which the directors were involved in Hehe… MC Hammer poster… that takes me back Iman (model who was in Star Trek VI) The noises the lizard makes The bullies are horrible rappers. I mean, more horrible than everyone else in this movie. The Indian registration kid Male Mythology: A Feminist Perspective. Sounds like a great class. Malcolm X was "pro-black" College deans are insane Don’t get too weirded out when a photograph starts talking to you Kid putting on the hair net Knowledge is POWAH! If a girl says no to a dance, just ask her ten more times. She’ll say yes. Hope you like watching guys grab their crotches again and again! You know a guy is evil when he’s DRINKING at a college PARTY! A guy is also evil when his head turns into a wolf’s head Boys II Men -- I’m screaming with repressed memories Is It Worth Staying Through End Credits? Not on your sweet life. Intermission! [some sources: IMDb] Robin Harris, "Pop" in the first House Party, died in 1990. This film was dedicated to him. Groovy Quotes Play: [mocking Kid] Aren’t you gonna give me something to let everyone know I’m your man? Kid: Jamal, do me a favor? Talk white. DJ: Yo, I swear, if I gotta carry this s**t in by myself, I’m going to play Village People all f**king night. Check Machine: BAD CHECK! BAD CHECK! BAD CHECK! If you liked this movie, try these: House Party House Party 3 House Party 4: Down To The Last Minute End Credits This review page was last updated on 8.7.04 MRFH Home . Reviews . Findaflik . Features! . MRFH Forum e-mail Mutant HQ © 2004 Mutant Reviewers From Hell (Original Content). All Rights Reserved.