Even breaking is opening The full-length directorial debut Dee Riis, shot according to his own script, debuted in the competition program Sundance 2011, and, subsequently, was noted at the Independent Spirit Awards 2012; the lead singer Odepero Oduye received the corresponding nomination, and Riis - an honorary award named after John Cassavetes. Acutely social themes are a typical object of such a movie, however, it is important not only to pay attention to the problem, but also to make the picture understandable to the viewer, to awaken interest in it. And Riis it turns out easily and effortlessly, thanks to a detailed holistic script, confident but unobtrusive directing; and, not least, this is facilitated by the wonderful camera work of Bradford Young, awarded with a well-deserved prize at Sundance.
Alike is in high school and she is a lesbian. She's seventeen, so she's about to make big changes in her life. She is clearly aware of her orientation, but does not feel comfortable with her. And, of course, her parents, even though they suspect who she is, want to hope for the “best,” ignore the obvious, and try to guide Alika to the “true path,” as if their words could make a difference. Alike lives in two worlds; on the street and at school, she tries to be like a guy, wears appropriate clothes and hides her hair under her cap; at home, she transforms into a “normal” girl. Of course, if the closest people, instead of accepting a person as he is, only tacitly condemn him and make him feel guilty, what can we expect from the outside world? But still, Alika is not completely alone; she has a friend, butch Laura, with whom they visit the club. The relationship is purely friendly, Laura has her own life, but she has already freed herself from parental oppression (she had a similar situation) and lives independently. Laura is more experienced, and tries, if possible, to help Alika find herself.
Di Riis' film is largely autobiographical, so there is no doubt about the reliability of the presentation of the situation. At the same time, Riis’s story is not just a banal illustration of how bad it is to be “not like everyone else,” nor does it attempt to assert any rights of any minority. The director doesn’t encourage the “left out” to build barricades, but makes it clear that the main question is not “who are you”; the main question is “what will you do with it?” And the script assumes a clear and complete story, showing the choice that the main character makes and all the prerequisites for it. Of course, it was not without cross-cutting themes, such as a certain “first love drama”, but all this only adds to the picture of naturalness and honest emotional experiences to its heroes. Acting works are magnificent and sincere. The overall production is smooth, the script is clearly spelled out in order to deprive the action of unnecessary episodes, Young’s confident camera easily grabs the right angles, and the film drags on; all the characters are revealed in full, everything that happens is meaningful and clear, and no questions arise. Riis does not fall into inappropriate moralizing, preferring to give the viewer an opportunity to feel the emotions of the heroes himself, but also here without overdoing the stick, remaining within the framework of life history without provocative blackness and excessive drama.
“Pariah” is a film about a social outcast, but the film does not try to exploit this theme, does not try to be too sharp, and therefore it does not cause rejection, but, on the contrary, fully absorbs its modest story. Dee Riis knows what to do with her characters and how to best show it on screen; but most importantly, she has a clear vision of the problems described in her film, and shows the story of growing up, becoming and releasing with genuine sincerity and understanding.
8 out of 10