Director: Justin Simien
Year Released: 2014
Rating: 3.0
Current Racial Talking Points: The Experiment. At an "Ivy League" university (... but really the University of Minnesota), the African-American students, led by Sam White (Tessa Thompson), are staging a revolt against the current administration's policies while budding journalist Lionel (Tyler James Williams) tries to write his version of the conflict (as a gay outcast accepted by few, he acts as the 'outsider'). While it does not work as a dramatic film per se (it gets bogged down with too many characters and scenarios and is entirely too broad in scope ... plus it has the 'attention span of a gnat on speed'), I found myself drawn in by an indie at least trying to address racial issues in our current Obama-ruled world: I was as aghast as everyone sensible when students at serious institutions across the country tried to 'appropriate' severe racial stereotypes for their insensitive/ignorant 'theme parties.' Very much a product of its age and time, it may not be successful as a 'movie' but it will certainly give anyone watching many things to discuss after the viewing.
