Movie: Dear White People

Dear White People:  a comedy addressing current issues.  This film takes place on a fictional Ivy League campus named Winchester.  The source of the film’s title is the lead character’s campus radio show, “Dear White People”.  The movie can be viewed as an updated version of Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing set on a college campus.  Samantha (“Sam”) White, who is more than just a witty radio host, is played by Tessa Thompson.  Through Sam’s eyes, we are shown the complexities of stereotypes.  For example, Sam informs a professor that the 1984 movie Gremlins is about suburban white fear of black culture as “Gremlins are loud, talk in slang, are addicted to fried chicken and freak out when you get their hair wet”.  I would need to see the film more than once to remember more of Sam’s clever lines as well as those of the second lead character, Lionel Higgins (Tyler James Williams).  Lionel is initially presented as a shy, gay student who insists he does not identify with anything while not fitting in anywhere on campus.  Lionel is told by a white person, who thinks she’s complimenting him, “You’re only technically black.”  The incident that is the catalyst for the movie is a Halloween party sponsored annually by a satirical magazine.  Blackface hip-hop becomes the party’s theme and this leads to some serious scenes.  Writer and first time director, Justin Simien, did not invent the party concept; post-film credits show photos from such parties at Dartmouth, UC San Diego, Pennsylvania State University and other schools.  Simien has a person from the Southside of Chicago present the idea of having the hip-hop party (Teyonah Paris as Coco Connors).  Coco’s character presents other issues underlying human relations.  This film isn’t limited to the Black/White issue.  The sons of both the University President and its Dean of Students attend Winchester and both sons have issues with their fathers.  Dean Haysbert plays the Dean of Students and Peter Syvertsen the school President.  There are also core Black issues presented such as how Black is Black.  A lot happens during this 108-minute film and it is all presented with a sense of humor.  You will be amused as the movie unfolds.  Then, when you further consider what you saw, you’ll have a lot to think about regarding race relations in the USA.  I highly recommend this film.