Netflix film is high in celeb cameos, low in substance

Julia Fabrizio Staff Writer

The recent Netflix original film, “The After Party,” was released on Aug. 24. The movie is about a young rapper who dreams of making it big, but ends up losing all credibility after an embarrassing performance clip goes viral on the internet. The film has a fairly generic storyline, but is surprisingly not too bad.

The plot revolves around two high school seniors: Owen, an aspiring rapper, and his best friend and manager, Jeff.

Owen, played by the “iSpy” rapper Kyle Harvey, has a laid-back personality that makes him very likeable and relatable. Jeff, played by Harrison Holzer, is the polar opposite. Holzer’s character is a goofy kid that is clearly well-off, thanks to his parents’ money. We see Jeff desperately trying to get Owen a record deal throughout the duration of the film.

The movie starts with an awkward but humorous scene featuring Owen rapping alongside a supportive Jeff outside of a bathroom stall. The two believe they are getting their big break, only to realize they were performing for an intern.

There are a few laughable moments like this throughout the film, but nothing too impressive. The source of the comedy is usually from Jeff; he makes a quirky addition to the story. We also see a romance unfold between Owen and Jeff’s older sister, Alicia.

While Jeff is doing everything in his power to get Owen noticed by record labels, Owen has lost hope after the viral incident and instead becomes more interested in pursuing Alicia, his lifelong crush.

Jeff sets up an opportunity for Owen at a New York City after-party that will be their last chance at fame, but with Jeff prioritizing their careers and Owen mostly concerned with Alicia, the two are at odds and get into plenty of hijinks throughout the night.

“The After Party” is not a movie I would usually watch, so I am surprised to admit that I actually enjoyed it. It should definitely be rated three out of five stars, but the movie was actually pretty easy to watch. It grabbed my attention and managed to keep me interested the entire time. The plot may have been predictable and the comedy did lack at times, but the movie was a lot better than I thought it would be.

If you are a fan of rap music, I would recommend you give this movie a shot. It was chock-full of cameos from hip-hop artists including Wiz Khalifa, Teyana Taylor, DJ Khaled, French Montana, Tee Grizzley, A Boogie wit da Hoodie and Desiigner.

Overall, my favorite aspect of this film would have to be the characters. Owen and Jeff make a great pair and balance each other out perfectly!

If you are thinking about watching “The After Party,” my advice is to not have high expectations. While it is not anything special, the film is great for a night when you have nothing better to do.