Review of Higher Learning (1995) by Stuart K — 05 Aug 2013

Directed by John Singleton, who had got his career off to a very strong start with Boyz n the Hood (1991) and Poetic Justice (1993). Here, Singleton took on University life after developing the idea with Jonathan Demme, but it would be a tough production, with cast members being considered and replaced during the production and a lot of scenes ending up on the cutting room floor.

But the final result is a powerful and dark look at higher education. At Columbus University, new students have enrolled including Malik Williams (Omar Epps), Kristen Connor (Kristy Swanson) and Remy (Michael Rapaport).

Malik is black, and people treat him coldly, Kristen becomes friends with Monet (Regina King), who goes to parties hosted by Fudge (Ice Cube), whose loud music upsets Remy. But after an incident where lesbian student Taryn (Jennifer Connelly) is raped by frat boy Billy (Jay R.

Ferguson), tensions rise. Remy then gets involved with Scott Moss (Cole Hauser), who is in with a group of Neo-Nazi's, who plan to have their moment against the black students studying at Columbus.

It's a film which shows the growing pains of university life, Singleton gets the best out of the cast he ended up with, and it manages to be gripping and emotionally shattering, not shying away from the pains and tragedies that goes on at the University.

It spoke to a generation, it still does.