Dear White People (2014)
"The depressing number of race-mocking frat parties in recent years becomes the jumping-off point for a snarky but good-humored cultural debate in “Dear White People.” Bristling with arguments about the complexities of black identity in a supposedly post-racial America, this lively and articulate campus-set comedy proves better at rattling off ideas and presenting opposing viewpoints than it does squeezing them into a coherent narrative frame. But while it veers toward smugness and self-satisfaction at times, the Spike-Lee-lite exercise nonetheless heralds a fresh and funny new voice on the scene in writer-director Justin Simien, bolstered by an an excellent cast that should find an especially appreciative audience among young black moviegoers; whether a significant portion of white viewers accept the invitation extended by the title remains to be seen.
If it ultimately feels modestly edgy rather than shocking or dangerous, “Dear White People” nonetheless provokes admiration for having bothered to ask some of the hard questions without pretending to know any of the answers. It also works as a fine showcase for its actors: Fleshing out characters that could have been little more than one-note mouthpieces, Williams, Thompson, Parris and Bell all make strong, distinctive impressions, with Thompson perhaps the standout as the film’s sharpest and most enigmatic figure."
- Justin Chang
Status: Available for purchase.