Pariah (I) (2011)

A Brooklyn teenager juggles conflicting identities and risks friendship, heartbreak, and family in a desperate search for sexual expression.

Director:

Dee Rees

Writer:

Dee Rees

Stars:

Adepero Oduye, Pernell Walker, Aasha Davis

8 wins & 20 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Adepero Oduye	...	Alike
Pernell Walker	...	Laura
Aasha Davis	...	Bina
Charles Parnell	...	Arthur
Sahra Mellesse	...	Sharonda
Kim Wayans	...	Audrey
Shamika Cotton	...	Candace
Raymond Anthony Thomas	...	Mack (as Ray Anthony Thomas)
Afton Williamson	...	Mika
Zabryna Guevara	...	Mrs. Alvarado
Kim Sykes	...	Mrs. Singletary
Rob Morgan	...	Sock
Nina Daniels	...	Gina (a.k.a. Butch Woman)
Jeremie Harris	...	Bina's Boyfriend
Chanté Lewis	...	Fast Girl #1

Storyline

A Brooklyn teenager juggles conflicting identities and risks friendship, heartbreak, and family in a desperate search for sexual expression.

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Plot Keywords:

identity | homophobia | mother daughter relationship | 17 year old | girl girl relationship | 

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Taglines:

Who do you become when you can't be yourself?

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for sexual content and language

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 January 2011 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Fort Greene, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$48,579 (USA) (30 December 2011)

Gross:

$758,099 (USA) (9 March 2012)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Chicken And Egg Pictures, MBK Entertainment, Northstar Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

86 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

Alike: Heartbreak opens onto the sunrise for even breaking is opening and I am broken, I am open. Broken into the new life without pushing in, open to the possibilities within, pushing out. See the love shine in through my cracks? See the light shine out through me? I am broken, I am open, I am broken open. See the love light shining through me, shining through my cracks, through the gaps. My spirit takes journey, my spirit takes flight, could not have risen otherwise and I am not running, I am ...

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Connections

Referenced in Chelsea Lately: Episode #6.12 (2012)

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Soundtracks

"Drone2"
Written and performed by Jamal Tonge and Neil White (The Carps)

User Reviews

Good symbolism of repressing the individual's freedom of choice.

This movie turned out to be pretty good. Quality black dramas are so rare and this one definitely didn't disappoint. The script was well executed and the scenes seemed to piece together like falling dominoes, rather than a jigsaw puzzle with numerous elements missing. Alike is the main character who struggles with being what she considers her true self. Her domineering mother and the opinions of society causes her to repress who she is, a gay female who enjoys dressing like a guy. The agony of not being able to express her true self shows throughout her body language and face and I thought that was pretty good acting. Alike's mother specifically represented society who represses people's right to freedom through rules and moral codes. Alike's father is clearly having an affair but the mother struggles to ignore it, wanting to maintain her made up happy life. Her choice of ignorance symbolizes society's quest to ignore the realities, of what's truly real about people. The pacing and execution of this film reminded me of something Spike Lee would do.