The first episode center’s around Aniq’s version of the events, which, as Danner notes as a guidepost for the viewers, has a decidedly rom-com vibe. Thus, there is no shortage of suspects after Xavier is found dead, lying below the cliff, on top of his ridiculous - and ridiculously overpriced - hat.ĭanner decides to interview each suspect individually, which allows for the series’ aforementioned genre explorations. They, along with others who may have a major gripe with Xavier for one reason or another, end up at the afterparty he throws at his cliffside mansion. An audio-video expert still aspiring to make it in the music business, the optimistic and enthusiastic Yasper is desperate for Xavier to appear on one of his tracks to give it a major boost.īecause Xavier’s attention at the reunion is, like Aniq’s, focused on Zoe, he draws the ire not only of Aniq but also of Bret (Ike Barinholtz), who’s still Zoe’s husband - only because he hasn’t signed the divorce papers. He IS consumed with Xavier, his old partner in high school ska band Skarpedium. “We didn’t just have chemistry together, the “adorkable” Aniq says.
As Aniq tells friend and classmate Yasper (Ben Schwartz), he regrets never elevating their status above being partners in chemistry class. He has been consumed with a very friendly text from old classmate Zoe (Zoe Chao), the recently divorced principal of the school. However, Xavier isn’t on the mind of class member Aniq (Sam Richardson), the appealingly geeky designer of escape rooms, when he arrives. With the hit album “Somebody Xave Me” and movies including “Hungry, Hungry Hippos and Hall & Oates biopic “Private Eyes” to his credit, the young, cheesy star arrives by helicopter. “The Afterparty” is set on the night of a 15-year high school reunion in Northern California, a well-attended affair thanks to the expected attendance of that 2006 class’ celebrity, Xavier (Dave Franco).
Afterparty review series#
That trio of episodes, in addition to being frequently hilarious and clever, illustrates what sets the series apart: Each serving, while focusing on one character, also plays with a film genre, such as action or romantic comedy.
Produced by Lord Miller, “The Afterparty” is created, directed and co-written by Miller, who deserves a lot of credit - at least for the first three installments, which reviewers are allowed to write about now. Aka Lord Miller, the tandem has been involved, to varying but significant degrees, with the enjoyable “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs,” “21 Jump Street” and “Lego Movie” franchises. Perhaps as important: “The Afterparty” is the latest product of producing partners Phil Lord and Chris Miller. Dave Franco portrays actor, singer and soon-to-be murder victim Xavier in “The Afterparty.” (Aaron Epstein/Courtesy of Apple TV+) The new Apple TV+ murder-mystery comedy series - debuting with three episodes - arrives on the heels of another clues-obsessed laugh-fest, Hulu’s “Only in the Murder in the Building.”Īnd although “The Afterparty” doesn’t boast the same top-level star power - co-created by Steve Martin, the charming-if-deadly “Only Murders” saw the veteran funnyman share the screen with his longtime comedy collaborator Martin Short, as well as the much younger but hugely popular Selena Gomez - its ensemble is jam-packed well-established comedic talent. Even if this review does contain two caveats.“The Afterparty” is happening right on time. Heap on top of that one of the more exciting comedy ensembles assembled in recent memory, featuring Haddish, Sam Richardson, Zoë Chao, Ben Schwartz, Ike Barinholtz, Ilana Glazer, Dave Franco, Jamie Demetriou, and John Early, and there’s a ton to recommend the series as an early favorite of 2022. On its own merits, that’s an idea that would be enough to inspire interest, and then Miller (who created the series and directs every episode Lord serves as an executive producer) adds an additional layer: Every episode, which focuses on one potential suspect’s version of events, also utilizes a different genre of entertainment to tell its story, from rom-com to musical to animation to thriller. Apple TV+’s The Afterparty is a perfect example of this, presenting itself initially as a fairly straightforward murder mystery out of the pages of Agatha Christie, with Tiffany Haddish in the Hercule Poirot role.
Afterparty review movie#
The Pitch: For those familiar with the work of 21 Jump Street and The Lego Movie directors Chris Miller and Phil Lord, there are a few constants, a major one being their talent for taking a premise and making it simultaneously very clear and simple and also deceptively complex.
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