‘Pariah’
4.5/5 Pitchforks
Starring: Adepero Oduye, Pernell Walker, Aasha Davis, Charles Parnell, Kim Wayans
Rated: R
Release date: Jan. 13
Modern audiences will sympathize with the struggle for acceptance depicted in the newly released film, “Pariah.”
The participating 2011 Sundance Film Festival movie tells the story of a young woman’s difficult journey in embracing her sexual orientation.
In the Focus Features film, Alike Freeman (Adepero Oduye) has a less than ideal home life. Along with navigating her identity as a lesbian, she must also deal with her emotionally distant parents, their tension-filled marriage, and the pressure placed upon her to be more like her perfect sister (Sahra Mellesse).
Her parents, Arthur (Charles Parnell) and Audrey (Kim Wayans), resist acknowledging their daughter’s sexuality. Though things are rocky at home, the support of her openly gay friend (Pernell Walker) encourages her to explore the dating world.
Director and writer Dee Rees successfully touches on a sensitive topic. By incorporating themes, such as heartbreak, outrage and love, this personal story develops in a way that appeals to broader audiences.
Rees uses understated techniques to show the strained relationships between the characters by including realistic conversations from Alike’s nowhere-near-perfect family dinner table which perfectly capture each characters’ subtle mannerisms.
Other telling scenes show Alike’s attempt to conform to her family’s expectations, such as Alike’s frequent wardrobe changes from tomboy-ish to girlish attire.
Each actor convincingly portrays his or her nuanced character and evokes a sympathetic reaction from viewers. The dialogue smoothly captures the love of Alike’s friend, Laura, her father’s compassion and Alike’s strength in accepting her own identity. However, the most heightened points of the movie actually come in the form of silence.
After several heartbreaks, Alike finds solace with her decision to shed a life of intolerance and accept a more promising future. Audiences can look forward to the film’s message of compassion and love.
Reach the reporter at mkthomp5@asu.edu
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