We the Party

source: We the Party

Hendrix (Mandela Van Peebles) is a high school student. He works at parties as a DJ to earn money to buy a car. He has done the guy thing and entered into a "first one to loose their virginity" contest with 4 friends. Meanwhile he wants to date Cheyenne (Simone Battle) the Phoebe Cates of this teen movie. Cheyenne's dad (Michael Jai White) is a policeman and won't allow his daughter to date anyone below a 3.5 grade average. Hendrix makes an arrangement to have Cheyenne tutor him so he can get his grade point average up and take her to the prom. The film also has some party rappers, an up skirt cell phone cam, a school project that interfaces with poor people, and a token 20 year old near thug (Y.G. who pays C.C.) in class. Snoop Dog listed in the credits has a minor role. Peebles has no problem quoting Malcolm X (just called Malcolm in the film to fool us white folk) and gives a grand lecture on consumerism, aimed at both Hendrix and the audience. The acting and story line were just fine, it just seems to be underdeveloped. Maybe I have just outgrown these films. PARENTAL GUIDE: F-Bomb, off screen sex, no nudity.

Mario Van Peebles, and a good chunk of his family for that matter, have made a film that makes an earnest and respectable attempt to resonate with the teenage youth of today, specifically those who reside in an urban location, yet are not handicapped by their limitations. We the Party has many different appeals, whether it be its flashy production values, its unassuming cinematography, its cast of young, ambitious actors, or just the film that engulfs all of these aspects. Unfortunately, everything it does can only be taken so far or until monotony weasels itself into the mind. This is likely a film that will resonate with its core audience, teens that seem to have it all but struggle to balance it out effectively, yet will likely bewilder audiences walking in with an attempt to try and have a personal connection or even just trying to simply find a picture that is above average. The plot concerns a group of teenagers set in a diverse Los Angeles high school, where prom, being unique, being noticed, fitting in, sex, bullies, and personality are the things that come to matter and are important in life. Our main character is Hendrix Sutton (Mandela Van Peebles), a charming high school senior with a lot on his mind, concerning girls, cars, and having an enormous house party. He is getting solid grades, mainly because his father (Mario) keeps him gridlocked on the road to success and devotion by implementing the "tough love" principle in his life. Hendrix is friends with a huge group of people that are into the same kind of things, and his plan is to get together with them all, try to have sex before prom, and throw the ultimate house party with music, women, and dancing. Hendrix becomes deeply involved with Cheyenne (Simone Battle), who is self-aware and intelligent, and the two of them seem to have a mutual connection shared by many high schoolers today. This could've instantly spawned a film of true intelligence and substantial relevance, and I was truly engaged during the picture's first act. Then after about a half hour or so, the film took a dive into the redundancy and the blandness of a mainstream music video. Shots are stockpiled on one another with gyrating teenagers, teenagers making decisions, and teenagers just having a good time dancing. It also doesn't help that the unusual, unnecessary "comic book" style of editing is the route the filmmakers used to showcase many of these shots. And not to mention, rarely do we discover any characteristics of these five young men other than they like to party and they are desperately seeking action. It seems every time We the Party tries to go into the idea of human interest or some considerable depth with its characters, it is caught up with heavy handed moralizing, unsatisfying dialog, and blinding energy from its dance sequence. This is the second major "party" film I've seen in 2012, and while I can say it isn't perfect, it is still light years ahead of the ridiculous Project X. It is pretty apparent the film wants to be on the same level as, say, other urban party films such as the charming and witty House Party - a film that was elevated by its two charismatic actors and the fact it wasn't just about the party, but the humans that inhabited it and how we came to know many of them. We the Party has one fantastic scene and that is a roughly eight minute monologue given by Mario Van Peebles, who is teaching his class about how intelligence is weighed in society and how people now measure your worth by what you have rather than what you say. Let's hope the youth of today doesn't tune out these valuable words while they are impatiently waiting for a rockin' party. Starring: Mario Van Peebles, Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Michael Jai White, Tommy 'Tiny' Lister, and Snoop Dogg. Directed by: Mario Van Peebles.

The movie is great for teens. It gives great concepts that I would want to teach my son or daughter. The movie touches on a variety of topics that include judging others based on appearances, establishing a great network of friends, the importance of social media on relationships, and the specialty of being a virgin. As a former middle school teacher, I saw the value in many of these lessons. Unfortunately, this movie may get bad reviews because it actually does teach a little bit of principal and morale. It's not the typical bad ass movie that we see in today's time. So it may not come across as well as the director intended. Therefore, the audience may be difficult to find in this movie. However, it doesn't stop it from being an okay film that I would recommend you buy on DVD or see if you want an okay movie night.

There is something hidden underneath the surface of "We The Party" that I cannot decipher. Take five teens and put them into a box of conformity and wanting. You're not the coolest, nor the most popular, but you want to be the first to win at everything. It's human nature. "We The Party" suffers a bit when challenging the audience to feel like they know these characters, when honestly, it doesn't come across as so with a story we've seen and heard plenty of times before. The character development, for what it's worth, wasn't that bad for the primary cast. I felt as though Mandela Van Peebles (son of Mario Van Peebles, the film's writer-director) was a risky choice for the lead role, but he pulled it off. Mario's other son, Makaylo, who plays Obama, also has a bit of screen time as well, with slight emotional depth to his character. The character Chowder is relatable to most people, and surprisingly, Patrick Cage II conquered the role stupendously. I felt like the other characters could have been worked on more in terms of making it about an outsider clique instead of just about Hendrix himself. It's not until the final forty minutes when I see the future potential in Mandela, who delivers a strikingly good performance alongside rapper Y.G., who manages to steal every scene he's in. In terms of casting, it was good, to say the least. Here is my take on "We The Party". It had a good story going. It is an R-rated film hosting a young, predominant, African-American cast. A bit of "Romeo and Juliet", with fractions of "The Breakfast Club" and whatever other teen film which involves heavy, seductive partying and betrayal. I think "Party"'s downfall is that it didn't have a specific moral or subject to cling onto. Yes, we want success. Earning it is harder. But when clouded with a clichéd storyline about not fitting in, trying to get the girl, and going from zero to hero, it becomes stale. The uniqueness of "We The Party" is the authenticity of the actors. There wasn't a time when someone or something felt forced -- but when the story is the same, almost, it becomes unoriginal. "We The Party" is definitely on my favorite list of films. I think with the proper marketing and tweaking of the story, this film could've been financially and critically successful. Mr. Van Peebles heart is in the right place, but when you start on something real, you have to be willing to lay all the cards down. The R-rating didn't sugarcoat the language, but in the real world, there's more to divulge into in the adolescent world filled with drugs, sex and violence. I recommend this movie to anyone who enjoys a good independent film with a few laughs and character's struggle with identity. However, if you're looking for the next "Thirteen" or "Project X", this is not the film for you.

We the Party