The skanner., April 04, 2012, Page 5, Image 5

Arts & Entertainment
L.A. Teens Come of Age in Generation Morality Play
Whether by design or merely by
coincidence, it’s impossible to
ignore the fact that We the Party is
being released the same day as
American Reunion, the 4th install-
ment in the American Pie series.
After all, the original American
Pie revolved around a quartet of
horny, high school students com-
peting to lose their virginity before
graduation, and we find the testos-
terone-driven quintet at the center
of We the Party in pursuit of the
same rite of passage shortly before
their senior prom.
However, despite sharing that
deceptively-identical point of
departure, We the Party actually
proceeds to morph into something
far more substantial than males
merely bonding around the
attempt to mate indiscriminately.
For, this inner-city dramedy seam-
lessly blends that rather raunchy
theme with a timely cautionary
tale about the pitfalls of failing to
plan for one’s future. Plus, it has
some inspired comedy and a cut-
ting-edge
score,
featuring
performances by a number of
emerging hip-hop acts, including
Pink Dollaz, The New Boyz and
The Rej3ctz.
Unfolding like a 21st Century
update of African-American cine-
matic classics such as House Party
(1990) and Love Jones (1997), We
the Party might very well come to
serve as the seminal adventure
capturing the angst and aspirations
of the Millennial Generation.
Written and directed by Mario Van
Peebles, the film stars his son,
C ELEBRITY
I NTERVIEW
by Kam
Williams
Mandela, as Hendrix Sutton, a kid
more concerned with buying a
flashy automobile and finding a
girlfriend than with getting good
grades and going on to college.
This unfortunate focus frustrates
his divorced parents to no end.
After all, Hendrix’s father (Mario
Van Peebles) teaches at his high
school, and his mom (Salli
Richardson) is the principal. So,
the slick slacker has to listen to
endless lectures about the conse-
quences of not applying himself
academically.
Still, Hendrix’s dad’s warning
that “Minimum effort now means
minimum wage later,” only falls
on deaf ears since the recipient is a
teenager with raging hormones.
After all, his head has been hope-
lessly turned by a cute classmate
called Cheyenne (Simone Battle).
Yet, to land the girl of his dreams,
he not only has to compete for her
hand, so to speak, with a hand-
some jock, but he has to convince
her “Ro-bro-cop” of a father
(Michael Jai White) that his inten-
tions are honorable.
Meanwhile, Hendrix’s motley
posse, Quicktime (Moises Arias),
Chowder (Patrick Cage II), Que
(Ryan Vigil) and Obama (Makay-
lo Van Peebles) are experiencing
their own unique relationship
drama during their separate
searches for sexual satisfaction.
Be forewarned, much of the R-
rated humor here ventures to the
crude, like when the boys mount a
tiny camera on a shoe in order to
look up girls’
dresses; and
the language is
both profane
and peppered with the N-word.
Look for Snoop Dogg, Tiny Lis-
ter and the director’s legendary
father, Melvin Van Peebles, in
supporting roles, although they’re
not the reason to see We the Party.
What makes the movie worth its
while is its anti-materialistic mes-
sage that your character, what you
are, is of far more import than
where you live, what kind of car
April 4, 2012
you drive, and your sexual con-
quests.
The African-American answer
to American Pie!
Very Good (3 stars)
Rated R for profanity, sexuality,
ethnic slurs and teen drug use.
Running time: 105 minutes
Distributor: Arc Entertainment
The Portland Skanner Page 5