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Afterlife of the Party
By Jennifer Green,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Supernatural dramedy has emotional intensity, partying.
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Afterlife of the Party
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Based on 5 parent reviews
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What's the Story?
Event-planner Cassie (Victoria Justice) is a party girl who accidentally dies the day after her wild 25th birthday, meaning she'll now have to be the AFTERLIFE OF THE PARTY. Unfortunately for her, she's left some loose ends on earth. Her guardian angel Val (Robyn Scott) informs her that she's in the "in between," neither heaven nor hell, until she can fix the relationships she's left behind on earth. Before dying, Cassie had a fallout with best friend Lisa (Midori Francis), leaving both of them feeling guilty. Meanwhile, her dad (Adam Garcia) is struggling to get over his daughter's death, and Cassie and her estranged mom (Gloria Garcia) have a lot of unresolved issues. Trouble is, she only has five days to make things right before she's sent to the "above" or "below."
Is It Any Good?
This supernatural dramedy is predictable, but its two charismatic stars keep it from suffering as clumsy a death as its main character. Part of the problem is that the central idea of Afterlife of the Party is quite sad -- a 25-year-old dead by accident in the prime of her life -- yet the film does everything it can in its first half to play this as straight comedy. (Even Netflix's marketing of the film refers to her death as a "party foul.") Things noticeably improve in the second half as the script delves into what Cassie is leaving behind and allows its characters to actually feel something, but the disconnect in tone is noticeable.
Victoria Justice and Midori Francis do a great job embodying best friends with contrasting personalities, even though they're straddled with fairly two-dimensional profiles. Cassie is also perpetually squeezed into glamorous, skin-tight outfits matched with perfect hair and make-up. When Lisa complains that Cassie is hanging out with people who "look filtered 24-7," it feels unintentionally ironic to the casting and styling of the stunning Justice, a former Nickelodeon star. Too bad the filmmakers didn't trust her to shoulder a less encumbered performance. She suggests here that she'd do a great job at it.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the idea of an afterlife, as seen in Afterlife of the Party. Here, "above" and "below" are like traditional notions of heaven and hell. How do different people's conceptions of what happens after death vary, and why?
Was Cassie returned to earth to help others, help herself, or both? Why?
Star Victoria Justice got her start on a Nickelodeon show. What other actors do you know who have transitioned from childhood TV programs to movies as adults?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: September 2, 2021
- Cast: Victoria Justice , Midori Francis , Adam Garcia
- Director: Stephen Herek
- Studio: Netflix
- Genre: Comedy
- Topics: Friendship , Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires
- Run time: 109 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: February 17, 2023
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