In 1990, “House Party” turned heads with its joyful depiction of the Black teen experience in a way that hadn’t been conveyed in mainstream cinema before. The modestly budgeted film ($2.5 million) generated a surprising $26 million in the box office, turned Kid ‘n Play into stars and spawned multiple sequels.
The film’s resonance over the decades led Warner Bros. and LeBron James’ production company to create a new version for 2023 that hits theaters this week.
The new “House Party” has definite echoes of the original but is an entirely revamped plotline. The two leads ― a down-and-out party promoter Kevin (Jacob Latimore) and his enthusiastically problematic buddy Devon (Tosin Cole) ― play men in their 20s rather than than the hapless teens in the original movie.
