First and foremost, thank you to Warner Bros. Home Entertainment for the opportunity to review: Life Of The Party Blu-Ray Combo Pack!
Let’s face it, movies are much more likable when you can relate to them. So for myself, I’m divorced, check. I thought about going back to school, even helping a friend with some school work to see if I could actually do some college-level work, check. Have kids that are college-level age, check. The only difference between my life and the character that Melissa McCarthy plays, Deanna, is that she’s a woman and I’m not. Outside of those specifics, if you can relate to raising kids, trying to stay sane while doing so and having that ONE GOOD BEST FRIEND like Maya Rudolph’s “Christine,” then you’ll enjoy LIFE OF THE PARTY!
The movie starts with Deanna (McCarthy) and Dan (Matt Walsh) dropping their daughter Maddie (Molly Gordon) off, for what is to be her senior year of college. Arriving at the school brings back memories for Deanne, because she only had one year left of school to finish, which she chose to forgo, in order to be a stay-at-home mother. He sort of hangs it over her head that she never finished school, being that he is the ONLY alum from the school. As soon as they say their goodbyes to their daughter, Dan turns to Deanna and tells her that he wants a divorce, telling her he has a new love and has been seeing her for a short while. The news blindsides Deanna, not knowing how to react, she just gets out of the vehicle and starts kicking the door.
To get off of the school’s property, Deanna takes an Uber, her driver just so happens to be her real-life husband and and script-writer/director Ben Falcone. She arrives at her parents house. While at her parents home, the thought crosses her mind about not finishing school, because she wanted to be a mother to her daughter and a wife to her husband, so she decides that she will be heading back to school!
The conflict for Deanna is being at school, for her senior year at the same time her daughter is living the same senior year of her life. Deanna is a hit among her daughter’s friends/sorority sisters, even becoming a member herself. One thing that Deanna finds that she didn’t intend to, was love, with a college age Jack (Luke Benward). An interesting point is who Jack is related to and how it relates to the main characters in this movie. One of the popular girls in school (Debby Ryan’s “Jennifer”) has issues with Deanna and Maddie and her being in the school at an “advanced age.”
There’s a special appearance/concert by a singer that’s the tone of the movie at the end that I won’t ruin. All in all, I enjoyed LIFE OF THE PARTY, as did my 12-year old son and 14-year old daughter.
RATING: B+
Warner Bros. Home Entertainment home release info (Blu-Ray/DVD/Digital HD) for Life Of The Party! Life Of The Party:
Falcone’s behind-the-scenes creative team includes director of photography Julio Macat (“The Boss,” “Horrible Bosses 2,” “Daddy’s Home”), production designer Rusty Smith (“The Boss”), editor Brian Olds (“Central Intelligence”), and costume designer Louise Mingenbach (the “The Hangover” franchise) with music by Fil Eisler (“How to Be Single,” TV’s “Empire”). A New Line Cinema production, “Life of the Party” will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.
McCarthy and Falcone co-wrote the screenplay and produced through their production company, On the Day Production. Chris Henchy is also producing the film, with David Siegel serving as executive producer.
“Life of the Party” will also be available on Movies Anywhere. Using the free Movies Anywhere app and website, consumers can access all their eligible movies by connecting their Movies Anywhere account with their participating digital retailer accounts.
Cast:
Melissa McCathy, Gillian Jacobs, Maya Rudolph, Julie Bowen, Matt Walsh, Molly Gordon, Stephen Root, Jacki Weaver, Jessie Ennis, Adria Arjona, Debby Ryan, Jimmy O. Yang
Synopsis:
When her husband suddenly dumps her, longtime dedicated housewife Deanna (McCarthy) turns regret into reset by going back to college…landing in the same class and school as her daughter, who’s not entirely sold on the idea. Plunging headlong into the campus experience, the increasingly outspoken Deanna—now Dee Rock—embraces freedom, fun and frat boys on her own terms, finding her true self in a senior year no one ever expected.
Trailer:
“Life of the Party”Blu-ray Combo Pack contain the following special features:
- ’80s Party
- Mom Sandwich
- Line-O-Rama
- Bill Hate-O-Rama
- Gag Reel
- Deleted Scenes
“Life of the Party”Standard Definition DVD contain the following special features:
- ’80s Party
