Dear White People (2014)

The lives of four black students at an Ivy League college.

Director:

Justin Simien

Writer:

Justin Simien (screenplay)

Stars:

Tyler James Williams, Tessa Thompson, Kyle Gallner

14 wins & 25 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tyler James Williams	...	Lionel Higgins
Tessa Thompson	...	Sam White
Kyle Gallner	...	Kurt Fletcher
Teyonah Parris	...	Colandrea 'Coco' Conners
Brandon P Bell	...	Troy Fairbanks
Brittany Curran	...	Sofia Fletcher
Justin Dobies	...	Gabe
Marque Richardson	...	Reggie
Malcolm Barrett	...	Helmut West
Dennis Haysbert	...	Dean Fairbanks
Peter Syvertsen	...	President Fletcher
Brandon Alter	...	George
Kate Gaulke	...	Annie (as Katie Gaulke)
Brian James	...	Martin
Keith Myers	...	Mitch

Storyline

A social satire that follows the stories of four black students at an Ivy League college where controversy breaks out over a popular but offensive black-face party thrown by white students. With tongue planted firmly in cheek, the film explores racial identity in acutely-not-post-racial America while weaving a universal story of forging one's unique path in the world.

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Plot Keywords:

college | biracial | halloween costume | halloween party | halloween | 

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Taglines:

A satire about being a black face in a white place

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language, sexual content and drug use

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 December 2014 (Brazil)

Also Known As:

Cara Gente Branca

Filming Locations:

Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$347,959 (USA) (17 October 2014)

Gross:

$4,404,154 (USA) (23 January 2015)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Code Red, Duly Noted, Homegrown Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

108 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

Sofia derisively tells Coco that she knows to ask whether or not Coco's hair is "weaved" because she had to watch Chris Rock's 2009 documentary Good Hair (2009) for a class. When Dear White People was released on DVD, the first trailer that appeared in front of the movie was for Good Hair.

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Goofs

The flame on the candle in Sam's room on Halloween night is static, revealing that it is fake.

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Quotes

Curls: Do you think there's enough of us?
Sungmi: Latinos United is meeting across the hall. Asian American League too.
Sungmi: [everyone looks at her wondering why she joined BSU instead of Asian American League] ... you guys got better snacks.

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Crazy Credits

The end credits include photographs of the real-life blackface (and brownface) college parties that inspired the film's climax.

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Connections

References Roots (1977)

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Soundtracks

Go
Performed by AMG
Written by Jason Lewis and Brian Gallow
Courtesy of Getti Records

User Reviews

Dear Brown People...

Dear Brown People...Yes, I see I have already offended some people with this title. I made myself set through the whole monotonous film trying to something out of it. It just didn't happen. It was like an after-school special that was an hour too long. I believe Justin Simien had to create this movie to remove some pent-up emotion from some traumatic racial episode he has had in the past. I am giving it a 3 only because I am feeling in a generous mood today. I believe Rodney King could have created a movie called 'Can't We all Just Get Along' and it would have been ten times more entertaining than this depiction of racial hatred. I had a bad feeling those who were not singing 'Follow the drinking gourd' in the theater might be escorted out...