House Party (1990)

96% of critics liked it
(24 reviews)
73% of users liked it
(37,244 ratings)

House Party is an infectious, engaging comedy starring the rap duo Kid 'N Play. Kid (Christopher Reid) decides to throw a party where he plans to blow the roof off the joint with his rhyming skills, so he and his friend Play (Christopher Martin) throw a huge party while Play's parents are away. The… More House Party is an infectious, engaging comedy starring the rap duo Kid 'N Play. Kid (Christopher Reid) decides to throw a party where he plans to blow the roof off the joint with his rhyming skills, so he and his friend Play (Christopher Martin) throw a huge party while Play's parents are away. The day of the party, Kid is grounded by his father (Robin Harris) and he has to sneak out of the house to get to the party, where he is confronted by several rival rappers, as well as a bevy of adoring girls. Though House Party follows a standard plot-line straight out of the '50s rock & roll films, the script is inventive, providing many different twists and turns, while Reginald Hudlin's direction is assured and very, very funny. Kid 'N Play are both terrific, but the true standout is legendary comedian Robin Harris in one of his few screen roles. House Party later spawned two sequels and an animated television series. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 40 min.
Directed By: Reginald Hudlin
Genres: Comedy

In Theaters: Mar 9, 1990 Wide
On DVD: Sep 5, 2000
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Critic Reviews

Vincent Canby, New York Times
All of the performances are good and the soundtrack pulses with humor as well as decibels.
Hal Hinson, Washington Post
House Party isn't a great movie, but it's heartfelt and enormously winning.
Desson Thomson, Washington Post
[It's] fast-moving, never dull, extremely funny, and manages to touch, with lighthearted (and R-rated) profundity on almost every youthful issue you can imagine, including police harassment, teenage sex, the all-too-easy road to jail and alcohol drinking.
Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader
There's a lot more energy and social reality in this picture than one is accustomed to finding in teen exploitation movies; the cutting is often dynamic, and Hudlin generally does a good job of keeping things moving.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
House Party is silly and high-spirited and not particularly significant, and that is just as it should be.
Felix Vasquez Jr., Cinema Crazed
An energetic and hilarious party film with charming stars, a killer soundtrack, and some great moments...
, Film4
This is a feel-good no-brainer with a party-loving cast and flat-top hairdos you could play pool on.
, Time Out
Clearly this is no masterpiece, but as its US reception indicated, it is a product overdue in the market, and it compares well with its anaemic counterparts.
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
Crude and cartoony but hypnotic in its infectious energy, this low-budget comedy about a night in the lives of some black teenagers is an auspicious debut from brothers Reginald (directing) and Warrington (producing) Hudlin.
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
The first--and best--of the three black comedies made of the same concept, this joyful picture was far less cloying than its white counterpart movies of the 1960s.
Marjorie Baumgarten, Austin Chronicle
This is the only House Party that counts.
Chris Hicks, Deseret News, Salt Lake City
What is most appealing about House Party, and what sets it apart from many movies in the same genre, is that there is an energy and exuberance, a joy of living being celebrated here that is absolutely infectious.
James Sanford, Kalamazoo Gazette
good-natured, raunchy fun

Read all 13 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Dean !

Ah this was a great funny film when I saw it years ago about a big house party. It is very funny in places.
Lenny M

Good lines
Jason S

I liked it. This was what you wanted your parties to be like when I was younger. They never were though and it was never as easy to hook up with the girls as this movie made it look. There were some really funny parts and a lot of them included Robin Harris. He was a comic that… More
I liked it. This was what you wanted your parties to be like when I was younger. They never were though and it was never as easy to hook up with the girls as this movie made it look. There were some really funny parts and a lot of them included Robin Harris. He was a comic that went out early in life but he brought a lot to the small part in this flick. Kid and Play were the black Corey's and I liked all the flicks they popped up in even though they were all pretty simple in nature.
danny d

classic. i worked on that dance move at the end for months. fun movie
Nani V

I can watch this movie over and over as a kid.
Lady D

I loved Kid and Play in my teens, watched this film countless times and would still watch it today
Lee K

This is a pretty good flick, Great dance and rap scenes during the party sequences. Martin Lawrence is hilarious in this.
Donna D

Old school movie! Crazy comedy about High school house parties, with great dance music and more. ;) I loved this movie when I was in highschool.
Anthony V

Robin Harris is a big high point.

Read all 9 featured audience ratings

Cast

            Christopher "Kid" Reid as Kid

            Christopher "Play" Martin as Play

            Robin Harris as Pop

            Martin Lawrence as Bilal

            Tisha Campbell as Sidney

            Adrienne-Joi Johnson as Sharane

            Paul Anthony as Stab

            B-Fine as Zilla

            Leah Aldridge as Benita

            Shaun Baker as Clint

            Verda Bridges as Sharane's Sister

            Jaime Cardriche as Tattoo

            D-Zire as Girl No. 1

            Barry Diamond as Cop #1

            Norma Donaldson as Mildred

            Ellaraino as Sidney's Mom

            Bentley Evans as Tall Teen

            Edith Fields as Principal

            Alexander Folk as Guard

            Full Force
            
            Val Gamble as La Shay

            Cedrick Hardman as Rock

            Randy Harris as Roughouse

            Stan Haze as Hatchett

            Rodney Hill as Albert

            Desi Arnez Hines II as Peanut

            Myra J. as Guest

            Anthony Johnson as E.Z.E.

            George Logan as Pimp

            Bowlegged Lou as Pee Wee

            Richard McGregor as Evrette

            Diana Mendoza as Lover

            Belal Miller as Herman

            Kelly Jo Minter as La Donna

            Michael Pniewski as Cop #2

            Clifton Powell as Sharane's Brother

            Ronn Riser as Guy

            J. Jay Saunders as Sidney's Dad

            Kimi Sung as Sunni

            Lou D. Washington as Uncle Otis

            Barry Wiggins as Waiter

            Chino "Fats" Williams as Fats

            John Witherspoon as Mr. Strickland

            Eugene Allen as Groove

            Warrington Hudlin as Burglar #2

            Daryl Mitchell as Chill

            Cliff Frazier as Brutus

            Bebe Drake as Mrs. Strickland

            George Clinton as D.J.

            A.J. Johnson
            
            Tisha Campbell-Martin
            
            Christopher Martin
            
See full cast

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