Higher Learning (1995)
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The story
The film follows the changing lives of three incoming freshmen at the fictional Columbus University: Malik Williams, a track star who struggles with academics; Kristen Connor, a shy and naive girl; and Remy, a lonely and confused man seemingly out of place in his new environment. The students navigate a diverse campus environment where they encounter militant Afrocentric activists, conservative professors, and various social pressures. As they attempt to find their footing in higher education, they are confronted with systemic issues, personal identity crises, and the complexities of racial and social integration.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Kristen Connor, a naive white woman, and Malik Williams, a black track star on scholarship, both attend a dorm party hosted by militant activist Fudge White. Remy, a quiet white student, calls the police to disband the party. While Malik and Kristen take a political science class with conservative professor Maurice Phipps, Kristen is raped by a frat boy named Billy. After Kristen joins a feminist student group and begins developing feelings for a lesbian student named Taryn, she eventually chooses to stay with her boyfriend, Wayne. Meanwhile, Remy feels isolated and eventually joins a neo-Nazi skinhead group led by Scott Moss. Malik struggles with his grades but eventually improves his writing skills with the help of his girlfriend, Deja. The tension peaks when Remy, influenced by his new radical beliefs, pulls a gun on Malik and his roommate David. Remy eventually drops out and fires a sniper rifle during a peace festival organized by Kristen, killing Deja. Malik assaults Remy before the police intervene, and Remy commits suicide. The film ends with Malik and Kristen reflecting on the tragedy, while the final scene shows Phipps walking under the American flag with the word 'Unlearn' superimposed.
- First release year
- 1995
- Runtime (minutes)
- 127
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- John Singleton
- Writers
- John Singleton · writer
- Cast and characters
- Jennifer Connelly; Ice Cube; Omar Epps · Malik Williams; Michael Rapaport · Remy; Kristy Swanson · Kristen Connor; Laurence Fishburne
- Genres
- crime drama; LGBTQ-related; romantic drama
- Themes
- racial tension; personal responsibility; identity; integration vs. separatism
- Tone and mood
- thought-provoking; stylish; heavy-handed
- Premise and plot tags
- academia; neo-Nazism; racism; rape; school violence
- Reception
- The film received mixed reviews, with critics praising its thought-provoking nature and style while some felt it fell short of its goals or was heavy-handed. It grossed over $38 million domestically and ranked #44 for yearly domestic gross in 1995.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 46% · review count: 41; Metacritic · score: 54% · review count: 20
- Awards and nominations
- NAACP Image Award · Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture · 1996 · win; NAACP Image Award · Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture · 1996 · nomination
- Production trivia
- The exterior shots were filmed on the UCLA campus.; Tyra Banks made her first theatrical film performance in this movie.; The character Malik appears in a parody of the film in 'Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood'.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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