LOS ANGELES—A cheeky provocation wrapped in a zingy punch line, Justin Simien’s “Dear White People” recalls other memorably promising debuts—by filmmakers named Spike, for instance, whether Lee or Jonze. An ambitious satire that questions just how “post-racial” America has become, the film is never at a loss for words, but sometimes confuses galvanizing rhetoric for legitimate deliberation.
At an Ivy League stand-in called Winchester University, black students endure marginalization in both the classroom and campus cultural life, with many finding acceptance at Armstrong/Parker Hall, which has a longstanding tradition of black residents.
Biracial media arts major Samantha White (Tessa Thompson) relies on Armstrong/Parker residents as the base of support for her radio show “Dear White People,” which frequently finds her breaking down the status of race relations on campus by making pronouncements like “Dear White People, the amount of black friends required not to seem racist has just been raised to two.”
Sam shakes up Armstrong/Parker by beating out incumbent (and ex-boyfriend) Troy (Brandon Bell) in the election for house president, quickly assuring other residents that her top priority will be pressuring the university to rescind its “Randomization of Housing Act,” which would force Armstrong/Parker to diversify.
Her proactive truculence gets the attention of black student reporter Lionel Higgins (Tyler James Williams), who recognizes the potential for a gossipy news story that could raise his profile at the primarily white school paper.
Colandrea “Coco” Conners (Teyonah Parris) also sees an opportunity to take Sam down a few notches while boosting her own profile on her video blog. Despite being the son of the Dean of Students, Troy finds his status severely challenged after his loss to Sam, particularly since he’s already held at arm’s length by some black students for dating the white daughter of university President Fletcher.
Competing with Coco for a coveted spot on the university’s prestigious humor magazine, edited by the president’s son Kurt (Kyle Gallner), prompts Troy to reprioritize. Meanwhile, Sam and Lionel are both trying to conceal clandestine relationships that could irreparably compromise their public profiles if exposed.
