Pariah

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  • Opened December 28, 2011 (Limited 12/28)
  • 1 hr 26 min
  • R | sexual content and language
  • Parents: Common Sense Media says Iffy for 16+. More on child suitability

  • Adepero Oduye portrays Alike (pronounced “ah-lee-kay”), a 17-year-old African-American woman who lives with her parents (Kim Wayans and Charles Parnell) and younger sister (Sahra Mellesse) in Brooklyn’s Fort Greene neighborhood. A gifted student, Alike is quietly but firmly embracing her identity as a lesbian. With the support of her best friend Laura (Pernell Walker), she is especially eager to find a girlfriend. Wondering how much she can confide in her family, Alike strives to get through adolescence with grace, humor, and tenacity. Full synopsis

  • Cast: Adepero Oduye, Pernell Walker, Aasha Davis, Charles Parnell, Sahra Mellesse, Kim Wayans
  • Director: Dee Rees
  • Genres: Art House/Foreign, Drama

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Fans say Must Go!
45 fans
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Critics say Go
79 out of 100
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Fan Reviews

Must Go!
check it out

by NYMoviemania

I'm glad this movie was made. It explored aspects of what it means to be ******* in the black community. I also liked tha it showed some individual the struggle of teenagers and family with being...

Must Go!
Excellent Film!

by lovegingi

Pariah was spontaneous and amzing. The story was powerful and spoke to anyone who felt like they were on the outside looking in while in high school. Excellent movie....

Must Go!
Great movie

by reggiesbrother7

It was an excellent movie that dealt with the joy and pain of a very courageous young lady coming out. It dealt with real issues and concerns ANY teenager may face dealing with their sexuality....

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Critic Reviews

100
San Francisco Chronicle
| Amy Biancolli

The film benefits most of all from Rees' careful screenplay, which dances that shifting line between fear and emergent hope. One of Alike's poems says it best: "Even breaking is opening. And I am broken. I am open." Read full review

100
Entertainment Weekly
| Lisa Schwarzbaum

Rees presents this vivid, hidden culture with raw honesty. Read full review

88
Philadelphia Inquirer
| Carrie Rickey

Rees tells Alike's story in vignettes that are sometimes slapstick, sometimes heartbreaking, always tender. Read full review

88
Rolling Stone
| Peter Travers

The gifted Rees makes finding out a stirring and heartfelt journey. And Oduye is unforgettable. A star is born. Read full review

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Aasha Davis as Bina and Adepero Oduye as Alike in "Pariah."