Review of Pariah (2011) by Austin B — 20 Sep 2012
A moving, powerful drama that needs no dramatic peaks and troughs to communicate the painful multiple pressures of a world dealing with a young girl's sexuality. What is most moving about this film is not her internal journey - she's largely there already, she understands herself.
The real potency of this movie is in its harsh unwavering realism in the portrait of the people around her. No easy reconciliation in store for these parents, they are not allowed to stumble into the relative peace of acceptance and enlightenment, no warmth for our protagonist to find her soulmate and protective intimate sphere of love against the world.
Just the desolate isolation of a world that is bending far too slowly under the grinding weight of social change, but not fast enough, leading to the ultimate and intensely lonely realisation that this girl cannot save her world from its self-destructive hatred and misunderstanding.
Truly beautiful, sad and potent.
This review of Pariah (2011) was written by Austin B on 20 Sep 2012.
Pariah has generally received positive reviews.
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