Pariah (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, Kim Wayans, Aasha Davis

14 wins & 29 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:

teenager | identity | f rated | based on short film | abusive mother | 

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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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Certificate:

14A

Did You Know?

Trivia

This film was partially supported by the Adrienne Shelly Foundation, a nonprofit organization that awards grants to female actors, writers, and/or directors of short films, feature films, and documentaries. The foundation was created by Andy Ostroy, the widower of actress, writer, and director Adrienne Shelly, after Shelly was murdered in 2006 at the age of 40.

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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

Remake of Pariah (2007)

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Soundtracks

Krunksta
Performed by Trevor Lawrence Jr.
Courtesy of Songs of Sofab Music

User Reviews

Simply one great movie!

For me there is no denying it that this was simply being one great, little movie! I can see why some people love it but I can also see why some would hate it. That's the curse and blessing of an independent movie I guess; you'll either simply hate it or just love it!

For me this was being a very good and interesting watch, most likely due to its original concept. There are of course plenty of coming of age movies out there and also lots of movies about youngsters dealing with their sexuality, among many other issues. But as far as to my knowledge there never has been a coming of age movie, involving a lesbian character, set in the African-American community. It's weird to say, since it shouldn't be such a big deal. Nobody in the free-world should feel obligated to pretend to be someone that he or she just isn't and everybody has a right to be happy in his or her own way, no matter what your background or your sexual orientation is. And this movie of course deals with these issues and does it in a pretty realistic and effective way.

It's actually due to the movie its realistic feeling and look that it all works out so effectively. none of the situations or characters in this movie feel exaggerated in any way and the movie deliberate remains small and humble with its story, settings and characters. It never goes all out on anything and the movie luckily also doesn't feel pretentious at all, not even with its directing approach, which is the sort of approach that easily could had annoyed me.

The approach of this movie is a very fast pace, in which stuff happens, without having a 'normal' movie buildup to it (of course also mostly with hand-held camera-work involved). Some slower moments perhaps would had been nice, so things could sink in better and stuff could have a bigger impact as well but on the other hand this might had gone at the expense of the movie its realistic feeling. So I'm definitely contend with the approach this movie was taking, though I couldn't help but think that some things could had been better and could had made a bigger and more emotional impact. The movie as it is isn't being all that emotional and involving, at least not for me. Who knows, maybe there are age groups and persons out there who went through somewhat the same things and struggles as the movie its main character, who will get grabbed more by this movie and feel emotional involved with it, all the way through.

For me, this movie was still absolutely being one fine, little genre movie, despite that I still had some issues with it.

8/10

http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 September 2011 (Canada)

Also Known As:

Parias

Filming Locations:

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

Box Office

Budget:

$450,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$48,579, 1 January 2012

Gross USA:

$769,552

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$769,552

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