Kevin Van Stevenson is a busy chap on the 2023 Young Adult film The Party. In essence he is Director, DP, Editor and Producer in this dramatic tale of American teen angst. Adapted from the Tom Leveen novel by Ryan McCoy, there is a lot going on in this one. I’ve not read the book this is based on so my knowledge base is pretty slim. The award winning film does touch on many issues though and there is literally not a dull moment to be had.
The Party Story
On the Friday night before Christmas, a sleepy beach town is shaken by a series of events that will lead a group of friends to a party to remember. (IMDb.com.) As Producer/writer McCoy states: “The film is a teen drama which tackles subjects such as depression, suicide, racism, relationships and has been well-received on the festival circuit.”
The Party Main Cast
Savannah Meaike is Ashley.
Alex Lecca is Max.
Kenny Johnston is Officer James.
Sara Catherine Bellamy is Beckett.
Joshua David Smith is Ryan.
Lyndon Hoffman-Lew is Josh.
Michelle Redman is Morrigan.
Carter Skyers is Anthony.
Ebin Antony is Azize.
Let’s Talk The Party
Young Adult literature and themes have been around for a fair bit of time. The Party takes us on a pretty up close tour of what the average teen goes through. I discovered the YA market almost by accident. That introduced me to Michael Grant’s Gone series. It is still a favorite. Unlike Gone, or The Tribe, both of which are set in a sort of post apocalyptic world, The Party takes place in Small Town USA; a beach town in modern America.
The film works very well. A cross section of young people on the cusp of adulthood. Most of them seem to be pretty much okay with their personal issues. Others, however, suffer from crippling self doubt, shyness, loss and a lack of any real parental affection. One young man has the ghost of his older brother breathing down the back of his neck. Another feels the weight of his cultural background riding his back.
The Fourth Wall Problem
The actors constantly break the “fourth wall.” Sir Michael Caine; who perfected the fourth wall break in Alfie (UK 1966) talks about close ups in a brilliant “Masterclass” that can be seen on YouTube. *This is a brilliant free acting on film class taught by a master. Check it out, please.* The young actors here have a slight problem and it has to do with their eyes. The only one who completely nails it is Sara Catherine Bellamy. The other’s struggle a bit and it shows. That said, they all manage to convince us with their character’s “confidential moments.”
This is not a “kitchen sink drama. ” While The Party is “busy” it does well to mix up the whole high school dilemma. Even I can remember those days with a mixture of fondness and regret. Socially, even way back then, teenagers were pretty much in that no-man’s land of “almost” adulthood. The filmmakers here give us an a intimate look at each character’s foibles.
It Works
At the party, the participants drink copious amounts of booze, vape and have teen sex. *It should be said that the sex scenes are pretty tame overall. We might as well mention that the violence takes place off screen and the language does not make your eyes water.*
The demographics of the party goers is made up of a good cross section of urban classes. Stevenson manages to keep that initial sense of foreboding ever present. Some families are pretty dysfunctional and this feels pretty much the “norm.”
The Verdict
The Party is a solid 4 stars out of 5. It entertains, and we “feel” for these unhappy folks. Additionally, the actors bring a certain amount of truth to all their characters. The film was released via VOD on January 2 this year and can be rented on Prime. Did we mention this is a Christmas movie?
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