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House Party 2
By Brian Costello,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Solid sequel has language, sex, and raunchy humor.
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House Party 2
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What's the Story?
In HOUSE PARTY 2, Kid (Christopher Reid) is off to college with his girlfriend, Sydney (Tisha Campbell). His tuition is being paid for by the generosity of the congregation of his church, and as he starts college, he wants to do right by them and also in memory of his recently departed Pops. But Play (Christopher Martin) wants Kid to stay in the neighborhood, especially since he thinks he has found their ticket to stardom through a glamorous music promoter (Iman). Nonetheless, Kid sticks to his plan and begins college life, while Play continues working at the record store with their friend Bilal (Martin Lawrence). While cleaning out his trunk, Play finds the tuition check for Kid, and that it's signed. When the promoter asks for money, Play takes out the check. The promoter runs off with it and soon disappears, and they discover that she's a con artist. Meanwhile, Kid's college career is off to a rocky start: He and Sydney decide to see other people as Sydney falls under the influence of her roommate Zora (Queen Latifah), a strong-willed activist who advocates for African American women to assert themselves more in the face of sexism on top of racism. When it's time for Kid to pay his tuition, he discovers that he doesn't have the tuition check, and soon learns the truth from Play. Threatened with expulsion and having only one week to get the money to continue on with college, Kid and Play decide to raise the money by throwing a pajama dance party. Now Kid must try to raise enough money to continue with his education, try to get right with Sydney again, and discover how what he's learning has direct relevance on his life.
Is It Any Good?
Those expecting a sequel of '90s kitsch and slapstick comedy are likely to be surprised by the relevant themes and positive messages woven throughout the movie. For all of its bawdy comedy and goofy slapstick, House Party 2 contains messages on African American empowerment (and the empowerment of African American women as well), with the backdrop of college used as a way to amplify the messages of the leading African American thinkers, writers, and activists of the 20th century. It conveys these messages without being heavy-handed, and there are many insightful and provocative takeaways from the movie delivered through song or college lecture. The screenwriters didn't have to do this, as audiences would generally be OK with Kid 'n Play getting into comedic hijinks between musical interludes, but the fact that they did keeps this movie from being just another sequel filled with early '90s fashion and dance moves.
That said, there are aspects to the movie that show its age. While the lead female characters are presented as strong, capable, and independent women, the secondary characters and the villain are pretty much just sex objects, or motivated solely by greed or the chance for fame. It tends to contradict the positive messages of African American feminism, as these secondary characters are often little more than eye-candied punchlines. Nonetheless, it's a surprisingly thoughtful movie, one that strikes an effective balance between over-the-top comedy and these more serious messages.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the positive messages in House Party 2. What are these positive messages? How do they resonate decades after the movie was first released?
Contrast the portrayal of Zora and Sydney with the way women are typically represented in the movie. Does the portrayal of the secondary female characters contradict Zora's messages of being a strong woman, or is it just a dated aspect of the movie? How do you think the secondary female characters would be shown if the movie came out today? The same? Different?
Can a movie have serious messages while still having moments of slapstick comedy, sex jokes, and one-liners? What would be the challenges in trying to do both?
Movie Details
- In theaters: October 23, 1991
- On DVD or streaming: February 3, 2004
- Cast: Christopher Reid , Christopher Martin , Martin Lawrence
- Director: Doug McHenry
- Inclusion Information: Black directors, Black actors
- Studio: New Line
- Genre: Comedy
- Topics: Activism , Friendship , Great Boy Role Models , Great Girl Role Models , History
- Run time: 94 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- MPAA explanation: Language and sensuality.
- Last updated: July 9, 2023
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