In “House Party”, aspiring club promoters and best buds Damon (Tosin Cole) and Kevin (Jacob Latimore) are barely keeping things together. Out of money, down on their luck and about to lose the roofs over their heads—and freshly fired from their low-lift jobs as house cleaners—the pair needs a huge windfall to make their problems go away. In a ‘what the hell?’ move, they decide to host the party of the year at an exclusive mansion, the site of their last cleaning job, which just happens to belong to none other than LeBron James. No permission? No problem. What could go wrong?
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Video Quality
House Party (2023) comes to Blu-Ray with a sterling 1080p transfer which really displays the film perfectly. The color palette is natural throughout most of the film outside of some pointed lighting choices that act as a reference to Belly. There are significant pops of color in elements of the environment, clothing and production design. Black levels hold up well with no major instances of black crush present. Digital noise and banding present as only a very minor issue with this release. The amount of distinct clarity and detail present on this Blu-Ray makes for a lovely viewing experience. Subtle details on faces are amazingly clear and fine texture such as facial hair holds up surprisingly well both in close-ups and long shots. This is a great presentation for a very visually polished film.
Audio Quality
This disc comes equipped with an incredibly effective DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio presentation that allows this world to feel three dimensional. There are elements in this track that are truly enveloping once the part begins. Sounds are appropriately rendered with precise directionality from the more raucous scenes to the quieter dialogue-driven scenes filled with subtle inflections. The terrific soundtrack brings the right atmosphere to this film. The low end is engaged well with certain beats and outlandish sequences standing apart.
Dialogue is presented perfectly clear without ever being overwhelmed by any of the competing sonic elements. The sound design of this film is not the most intense, but the implementation of environmental sounds are executed very effectively. The mix brings this film to life with nice engagement of all the channels. Warner Bros. has done a top notch job with this one. There are optional English SDH and Spanish subtitles provided.
Special Features
There are no special features provided on this disc.
Final Thoughts
House Party (2023) has the unenviable task of having to live up to the legacy of the original film which still holds up as a fan favorite in many circles. The film virtually disappeared after its brief release in theaters earlier this year, which is a shame since it actually delivers some pretty solid laughs. The major studios are not giving us very many comedies these days which may make this one seem better simply due to scarcity. Even still, you cannot deny there are some really hilarious exchanges and even some This Is The End level absurdity that makes this a great, breezy watch. The film is not trying to overshadow the legacy of its namesake; this is a story which is trying to channel the spirit of the original, and it does it well enough. Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has released a Blu-Ray featuring a terrific A/V presentation but nothing in the way of special features. This one is better than critical reception would have you believe. Recommended
House Party (2023) is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
