By: Zoe Howard
Copy Editor
The film “Afterlife of the Party” lacks direction with numerous story lines that give no clear message.
In the predictable plot of “Afterlife of the Party,” the rushed feeling of the film leads to a lack of interest from the audience. Throughout the film, there is no core message due to the presence of several story lines, which further exemplifies the absence of depth in the characters.
“Afterlife of the Party” is directed by Stephen Herek and stars former Nickelodeon actress Victoria Justice as Cassie, as well as Midori Francis as Lisa and Spencer Sutherland as Koop.
The movie follows Cassie, who loves to party, and her work-oriented best friend Lisa. After a night out at the club, Cassie and Lisa get into a fight over their differences. Later that night, Cassie dies in a freak accident from hitting her head on a toilet. Before reaching the “Afterlife party in Heaven,’’ Cassie must resolve her unfinished business by helping three people as a guardian angel before time runs out; these people include Lisa, her mother, and father.
The foreseen plot line of “Afterlife of the Party” is similar to many afterlife movies that have come before. The film exhibits no plot twists or conflicts, which causes the audience to be unengaged.
At the beginning of the film, Cassie is a party girl that only cares about attention and superficial things. While setting her up with that flaw, “Afterlife of the Party” does not show much growth as she becomes invisible for most of her time on Earth as the guardian angel for three people on her list.
Throughout the many plotlines, the film cannot decide on the true message; whether the film is about Cassie and Lisa’s friendship, Cassie’s love interest, or relationship with her father. “Afterlife of the Party” fails to exhibit a clear message behind the film.
Due to the multiple opposing story lines explored throughout the movie, the supporting characters’ personal growth and background is not shown by the movie. When displaying Cassie and Lisa’s friendship, “Afterlife of the Party” does not show the true extent of their relationship.
“Afterlife of the Party” is not worth watching. The anticipated plot and various plot lines show no clear direction, making the film feel rushed. The movie misses the opportunity to go more in-depth about the characters and show personal growth for Cassie.
Released on Sept. 2, “Afterlife of the Party” is rated TV-PG and is available for streaming on Netflix.
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