As we continue our Summer Movie Guide, another classic you’ve got to see is House Party.
The Reginald Hudlin-directed film follows high school students Christopher “Kid” Reid and Christopher “Play” Martin on an unpredictable night as two best friends try to make the best of a night packed with no parental guidance and a lit house party.
Even if you’ve just heard the movie named dropped in countless rap songs or have never seen the epic dance battle, personalities Mouse Jones and Rodney Rikai can agree the movie is a must-see.
“House Party came out in 1990, so I wasn’t of age, but this was one of the first movies that made me want to learn how to dance. Like it was the first movie that really made me want to put some time and effort into my footwork,” reveals Rikai. “I’m from New Jersey, and we get busy lowkey. So the dance moves, the colors, and the fashion–it was all crazy. And it’s crazy now because that fashion is back.”
Mouse goes on to explain what he loves about the movie most, which was that while it focused on the Black community and Black experience, it kept things relatively light and easygoing.
“What I loved about this movie the most when I first saw it was just how fun it was. When everything around you focused on Stop the Violence and telling you to pick up a gun and not a basketball, it was good to see a movie that was just fun,” admits Jones. “It was just a Black version of a white movie with bullies, parties, parents, and hijinks. It wasn’t heavy-handed, and there were no tear-jerking moments.”
Watch Mouse and Rodney delve deeper into the ’90s film –including the father-son relationship between Rob Harris and Kid– in the video up top.
CASSIUS Movie Guide: Why “House Party” Needs To Be on Your Must-Watch List was originally published on cassiuslife.com
