Film Analysis of Pariah

Pariah: Film Analysis
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Pariah: Film Analysis
Settings
Setting plays a significant role in communicating the producer's thoughts and intentions in a film. In Pariah, the protagonist is introduced in the film's dramatic initial scenes, hanging out with her girlfriend Laura, a dazzling and attractive playa attempting to negotiate the environment in a local women's nightclub. The nightclub setting represents a partying session for women who want to have a good time. The impression it creates is a deviation from the commonly accepted practice of men going out to such joints to hang out with each other. The idea of putting Alike with her female companion in the club setting also symbolizes the love between couples of the same sex, which is contrary to the belief of the majority population from which they originate. Another set focuses on a largely African-American neighborhood that believes in morals and practices generally anchored on old traditions. For instance, there is a clear indication of ideological differences that do not match between the older and younger generations, creating an environment of conflicting beliefs between the two generations. With the two settings, the producer communicates a conflict of ideological differences that pit the older generation against the current generation.
In another setting, a dyke bar opens across from a tavern frequented by Arthur, Alike's father. The patrons experience serious excitement, and they attend the bar without fear. The scene communicates the producer's thoughts on accepting same-sex relationships in the modern world. It informs part of the film's intent to tell a coming-out story. The patrons also experience excitement while attending their bar and feel a sense of identity. A conflict ensues between a patron in a male-dominated club and a female-dominated one. The scene communicates the different gendered perceptions of individuals from different backgrounds by placing the dyke bar opposite a male-dominated one. According to the producer, the tide of popular opinion is shifting. The aura created in the scene is that of an old-school lifestyle that perceived hostility against women as a common and acceptable practice. However, the retaliation by a young woman against a man who trash-talks to her when leaving the dyke bar indicates that women are becoming firmer in standing up for their rights. It shows that women can also fight back to repel gender-based violence meted on them for many years in history.
Narrative
"Wherever the bird with no feet flew, she found trees with no limbs," is the statement that greets the viewer at the beginning of Pariah. The statement immediately draws the audience into the film as it is suspenseful and metaphoric. This is the film's subject, which chronicles Alike as she tries to reconcile her two selves, never quite reaching the freedom and security she craves. Laura spends her nights with Alike, a poet and a straight-A student who frequents lesbian bars. The film begins in a glitzy nightclub, where Alike, who has yet to experience her first kiss, observes dancers performing on stage alongside her friend, Laura. This passage is powerful and rapidly captures the audience's attenti...