DEAR WHITE PEOPLE is writer/director Justin Simien’s clever and provocative take on how young black students cope with the issue of assimilation on the majority white (fictional) Winchester University campus. The title refers to a radio show hosted by Sam White (played by the excellent Tessa Thompson), a militant student, who delights in slinging bon mots at the collective white student body. She comes up with witticisms such as “Dear White people: the minimum requirement of black friends needed to not seem racist has just been raised to two.” And then tops it off with, “Sorry, but your weed man, Tyrone, does not count.” Other sharp-tongued epithets include: “Dear White People, dating a black person just to p-ss off your parents is itself a form of racism,” and “even if Obama cured cancer, white people would still be enraged with him. And he’s only half black.” Simien’s directorial debut should be lauded for its ambition, but as both a director and screenwriter, he has a long ways to go. It’s clear that Simien is a Spike Lee fan right down to his directing style (it’s a lot like SCHOOL DAZE without the musical numbers) , but when it comes to the in-your-face attitude, it falls a bit flat, the result being an interesting soap box but not a great film.
There are also some small technical issues with the film, such as awkward framing in certain dialogue scenes and stilted editing that slows the pace. While these are minor distractions, they collectively detract from the overall experience. Still, it is refreshing to see smart material in the hands of talented young African-American actors, as opposed to simply being reduced to roles that mainstream Hollywood films. While certainly flawed in some aspects, DEAR WHITE PEOPLE offers up some droll and relevant observations on the commodification of race and ensures that Justin Simien is a filmmaker to watch.
DEAR WHITE PEOPLE did have a brief theatrical run, but was not reviewed here at We Are Movie Geeks. Lionsgate sent us the Blu-ray disc which will be released February 3rd.
The image is easy to review: there’s nothing wrong with it. DEAR WHITE PEOPLE sparkles on Blu-ray to the tune of Codec: MPEG-4 AVC, 1080p with an original aspect ratio of 1.85:1. The HD video source is as clean as a whistle but never particularly flat or smooth. Colors are bold and lively, black levels are deep and pure, while flesh tones appear natural. The image is free of any nagging anomalies. All in all, a perfect picture from Lionsgate.
DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack is crisp and satisfying. While it’s not completely immersive at all times, it captures the mood-shaping sounds of college life well. Music delivery is smooth and satisfying.
Extras: Bonus materials on Digital HD, Blu-ray and DVD include deleted scenes, outtakes, a “making of” featurette that shares the journey of how the concept trailer for Dear White People became a reality, a PSA Web Series, plus additional provocative video content originally created to promote the film online. Also included is an extended version of Caught A Ghost’s “Get Your Life” music video featuring Tessa Thompson and her longtime collaborator Jesse Nolan. The official video for the song, featured on the movie soundtrack, was helmed by film director Justin Simien and reunites the Dear White People cast as they party together to the upbeat electro-pop song.
- “The Making of Dear White People” featurette
- “Get Your Life” Music Video (Extended Version) by Caught a Ghost
- Deleted Scenes
- Outtakes
- Racism Insurance Skits
- The More You Know About Black People (a PSA Web Series)
- DVRS App: Black Friends When You Need Them
- LEAKED: Banned Winchester U Diversity
The Dear White People Blu-ray and DVD will exclusively feature two audio commentaries – one with director Justin Simien and one with Simien and the cast