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Christopher "Kid" Reid, Christopher "Play" Martin, Robin Harris, Martin Lawrence, Tisha Campbell ... see more see more... , Adrienne-Joi Johnson , Paul Anthony , B-Fine , Leah Aldridge , Shaun Baker , Verda Bridges , Jaime Cardriche , D-Zire , Barry Diamond , Norma Donaldson , Ellaraino , Bentley Evans , Edith Fields , Alexander Folk , Full Force , Val Gamble , Cedrick Hardman , Randy Harris , Stan Haze , Rodney Hill , Desi Arnez Hines II , Myra J. , Anthony Johnson , George Logan , Bowlegged Lou , Richard McGregor , Diana Mendoza , Belal Miller , Kelly Jo Minter , Michael Pniewski , Clifton Powell , Ronn Riser , J. Jay Saunders , Kimi Sung , Lou D. Washington , Barry Wiggins , Chino "Fats" Williams , John Witherspoon , Eugene Allen , Warrington Hudlin , Daryl Mitchell , Cliff Frazier , Bebe Drake , George Clinton , A.J. Johnson , Tisha Campbell-Martin , Christopher Martin

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, s... read more read more...o 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

Flixster Users

73% liked it

37,244 ratings

Critics

96% liked it

24 critics

R, 1 hr. 40 min.

Directed by: Reginald Hudlin

Release Date: March 9, 1990

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DVD Release Date: September 5, 2000

Stats: 1,195 reviews

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Chris ' Play ' Martin House Party Christopher "Play" Martin
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Flixster Reviews (1,195)

  • Deano78
    September 6, 2008
    Deano78
    Ah this was a great funny film when I saw it years ago about a big house party. It is very funny in places.
  • Chiefilms
    March 1, 2008
    Chiefilms
    Good lines
  • superclerk25
    January 7, 2008
    superclerk25
    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 tha... read moret 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.
  • sanjurosamurai
    November 23, 2007
    sanjurosamurai
    classic. i worked on that dance move at the end for months. fun movie
  • LitelBluHli
    August 9, 2007
    LitelBluHli
    I can watch this movie over and over as a kid.
  • 76Majikat
    March 26, 2007
    76Majikat
    I loved Kid and Play in my teens, watched this film countless times and would still watch it today
  • leekyle1968
    January 4, 2009
    leekyle1968
    This is a pretty good flick, Great dance and rap scenes during the party sequences. Martin Lawrence is hilarious in this.
  • donnarenee2006
    November 23, 2008
    donnarenee2006
    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.
  • threefolddado
    May 24, 2007
    threefolddado
    Robin Harris is a big high point.
  • brandankurtis
    January 20, 2011
    brandankurtis
    If you want to have a party in your mind, where just drift far far away. Than look no further, because writer/director Reginald Hudlin has made not only one of the best Afro-Americans based film. But also one of the most copied haircuts in recent history.

    Play(Christophe... read morer Martin) is having this banging HOUSE PARTY with buddy Bilal(Martin Lawrence) DJing. But their best friend Kid(Christopher Reid) can't go because he's Pops(Robin Harris in a terrific performance) grounded him. So he sneaks out to join the party, but face neighborhood bullies(Full Force) and the fact that two girls(Tisha Campbell & A.J. Johnson) like him and wants him to choose between them.

    The dance scenes are amazing and the songs are still hype. The acting is great, especially by the late Robin Harris, who will have you laughing at every scene he's in. And George Clinton's cameo is absolutely funny as hell. So enjoy the movie that gave birth to SOUL PLANE, and of course CLASS ACT in some ways.

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Critic Reviews

Vincent Canby
May 20, 2003
Vincent Canby, New York Times

All of the performances are good and the soundtrack pulses with humor as well as decibels. Full Review

Hal Hinson
January 1, 2000
Hal Hinson, Washington Post

House Party isn't a great movie, but it's heartfelt and enormously winning. Full Review

Desson Thomson
January 1, 2000
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 s... Full Review

Jonathan Rosenbaum
January 1, 2000
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 keepin... Full Review

Roger Ebert
January 1, 2000
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

House Party is silly and high-spirited and not particularly significant, and that is just as it should be. Full Review

Felix Vasquez Jr.
April 1, 2012
Felix Vasquez Jr., Cinema Crazed

An energetic and hilarious party film with charming stars, a killer soundtrack, and some great moments... Full Review

March 18, 2008
Film4

This is a feel-good no-brainer with a party-loving cast and flat-top hairdos you could play pool on. Full Review

August 16, 2007
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. Full Review

July 18, 2007
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 Warrin... Full Review

Emanuel Levy
December 7, 2006
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. Full Review

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House Party Trivia

  • This films taglines include: 'evil loves to party' , 'are you dying to be rich?' and 'six strangers have the chance to make $1,000,000 each. All they have to do is make it through the night alive'  Answer »
  • What was the name of the mansion where the dinner party was held in "Clue"?  Answer »
  • In the movie "Bringing Down the House", why does Charlene need to go pick up Sarah?  Answer »
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