Pariah: Dee Rees a star just born

Sitting through Pariah, Dee Rees semi-autobiographical new movie is not one of those visceral theater experiences like Darren Aronofsky Requiem for a Dream or the highly controversial Italian film, Salo. You don't leave depressed or whimpering in dry heaves. You leave with the impression that something really important has been put on film. Quiet and introspective, Pariah explores the coming of age of Alike (pronounced A-lee-kay) a 17-year-old "butch" lesbian on the streets of Brooklyn. I must admit the movie itself is nowhere as violent or melodramatic as the premise may sound. It was a small muted slice of life as a young woman tries to make her way through the brambles of budding sexuality and a deteriorating home life all at once.

Alike is a masculine-leaning (or aggressive as they called themselves in the film) teenage lesbian. She is shy like many kids her age and all she wants is to have a girlfriend. She is guided by her best friend and mentor Laura. Not in denial but in hiding Alike changes clothes from the hyper-masculine affectation she presents at the local gay club to a sparkly, girly tee-shirt to hide that side of her life from her controlling mother and indifferent father. Kim Wayans, in a nice dramatic turn, reigns in her enormous presence to play the unhappy matriarch of the family who hides behind Jesus so she doesn't have to deal with her eldest daughters blossoming homosexuality. Charles Parnell plays her father whose DADT attitude is made up of less acceptance and tolerance for his daughter than his anger towards his wife in their decaying marriage. When the mother tries to circumvent further sapphic tendencies of developing she gets Alike to hang out with the daughter of a church member. The two girls embark on a sexual relationship that leads to heartbreak and betrayal. This was by far the most obvious plot device in what is a singular spectacular script. The words were written so truly it harkened back to the days of HBO's The Wire. Though you knew tragedy was afoot you were rooting for Alike to find her love. The film ended on a bittersweet note that you as the viewer had to pearl for Alike's and your inner joy.

Adepero Oduye as the main character is so fresh and vulnerable in her performance that often you want to look away to respect her privacy. Ms. Oduye captures teenage Weltschmerz with the power of a smoldering ember. The notion of heat is right below the surface. We see her toggle between despondence and euphoria and great weeping devastation just like any other red-blooded teen. Many times in the same scene. Her work on this film is so real I was transported back to those same emotions as I attended North Forsyth High School. This performance is definitely award worthy. Pernell Walker as Laura, struggling with her own mommy-issues gave an insightful, painful and solid performance. But to me the star of this movie is its director. Crafting and weaving a story that compels you in a direction that you didn't know you were going in until you arrived at it realizing that this was the only place you needed to be. She pushed her actors to give deep portrayals not just imitations of lives unknown. This movie may not be the glossy absurdity that black cinema has become mired in lately but its certainly an important new voice that I think we should hear from for years to come. Brava Ms. Rees. And like one of the teenage girls mentioned when discussing her bisexuality: "I like girls. But I love boys." And I love movies like this.