Summary
This film won’t be for everyone. Its upbeat and illogical approach may alienate some viewers. However, for others, it will be a joyful movie to pass a bit of time.
Afterlife of the Party follows party animal Cassie (played by Victoria Justice), who dies following a wild night out, and is then in need of making corrections with those that she left behind on Earth. If she doesn’t, she’ll get sent to hell.
The selling point of this film is Victoria Justice, and many of those who watched her in VICTORiOUS will be more interested in this film than others. It’s unlikely that this film will appeal to a wide audience. The nature of the story is quite silly and overlooks the complex reality of life’s loose ends. In fact, there doesn’t seem to be any complex storytelling through the film’s entire run.
For some, if not most, that may be a huge turn-off. However, a younger audience may not mind as much. It has an uplifting approach that merges bits of comedy with a supernatural(ish) element, with plenty to entertain those that do decide to watch Afterlife of the Party.
There’s charm throughout the film, and the characters within are very easy to like. Is there a heavy depth to the plot? No. Is this film going to be one that you remember until you go to heaven or hell yourself? No. But if you ignore that and take Afterlife of the Party lightly, you might just find yourself enjoying it. Even if you don’t want to admit to doing so.
As a side note, there’s a neat reference to Sparking Joy. Which, if you’ve seen any of Marie Kondo’s shows, will make for quite the witty remark. Not only that but Netflix’s Afterlife of the Party has a brilliant line of dialogue with “for someone who studies bones, you need to get some in your back”.
Regardless of whether you’re in the target audience for this film, it’s exactly what you would expect from its plot, cast, and trailer. By all means, check it out yourself, but I reckon that you already know whether Afterlife of the Party is going to be your cup of tea.
