Movie Review - Selah and the Spades

Writer-director Tayarisha Poe in her feature debut delves us into the world of an east coast, private, boarding school, one that has black people, specifically a young black girl in a prominent position. She's the leader of one of five factions on campus. The factions are like high school cliques, not far flung from those depicted in films like Mean Girls (2004). However, that 2004 flick put more young, white girls in the forefront. This one puts more young, black girls in the lead. The way the film begins, it feels like it might be akin to Dear White People (2014), but, instead of college, this is slightly younger students. The principal issue isn't racism or broader race relations, though that is an undercurrent that at times can't be denied. The film is more about how black girls relate and interact with each other. There are echoes and parallels though to shows like The Wire (2002) and Power (2014). Those echoes and parallels have to do with the fact that like so many stories about the black experience, this film involves the illegal drug trade.

Having this film incorporate the drug trade might make it a bit cliché, given how many black stories or stories involving black people have that as a narrative element, if not entire thrust. Yes, the drug trade is important because historically, the so-called "war on drugs" disproportionately affected black people more than anyone else. Not only that, but drugs are so much associated with youth culture, which this film is definitely all about, so it's not a knock against this film for incorporating the drug trade. One can see it as a refreshing bit of change that at least this film has a young woman as the veritable kingpin or queen-pin. I'm not too sure about cinema during the 70's and the so-called blaxploitation era, but, since films like New Jack City (1991), the person at the head of the drug trade had always been a man, a black man. Here, Poe's film tips the scales toward gender-parity.

Lovie Simone (Greenleaf and Orange is the New Black) stars as Selah Summers, the 17-year-old leader of the faction, known as "The Spades." What distinguishes this group is not simply because the group is predominantly African-American, if not all African-American. What distinguishes the group is that it sells or distributes the alcohol and drugs. She's a senior, currently in her spring semester, and she's about to leave the school and go to college somewhere. It's never clear if she's involved with drugs because she needs the money in order to afford being at the school or if it's just a power thing. Presumably, it's the latter.

She's described as a scorpion. She's fierce and can be deadly. She's probably comparable to the character in New Jack City called Nino Brown. The film references Shakespeare's Macbeth and there are perhaps some comparisons between Selah and that titular character. What fuels her fierceness has a lot to do with sexism. Aside from alcohol and drugs, Selah also appears to be the head cheerleader. She states though that she designs the uniforms, the look and the moves. She and her fellow cheerleaders are sexy, but it's an expression of feminism that is almost militant. She rules at times with an iron fist, as any kingpin or possibly any dictator would. The question is if she's willing to concede her power.

Celeste O'Connor (Irreplaceable You) co-stars as Paloma, an underclassman who has just entered the school. She's the new girl. She's also an aspiring photographer. She mostly walks around with headphones over her ears all the time, listening to a variety of music. She's easily absorbed into The Spades, becoming a devotee to Selah. On the surface, it's a kind of ingratiation. Unfortunately, Poe's film doesn't dig into Paloma enough to make us fully understand why she would involve herself in this group. Obviously, there's some kind of fascination or attraction that she has for Selah, but, she's later pushed to commit violent acts and there's nothing really underneath or that connects with her past to explain why she would do it.

In terms of the other factions at the school, we're introduced to them, but, beyond their names, the film doesn't ever delve into who they are and how they truly operate. There are certain groups or cliques that are stereotypical and so in other films delving into them isn't thoroughly necessary. However, Poe's cliques feel wholly unique in certain ways. Yet, she never expounds on these creations. One group is called "The Bobbys" and the best that we get is that they're the theater kids, possibly. Otherwise, I never really felt like I had any kind of clear-eyed understanding of who any of the other factions were.

Jharrel Jerome (When They See Us and Moonlight) also co-stars as Maxxie, the second-in-command in The Spades. He's the one who maintains the ledger or the notebook that has the accounting. He's been friends with Selah for a while, most likely years. His relationship with Selah becomes an example of how even a friend of years can be the subject of Selah's wrath, if she feels betrayed or if she perceives anyone as disloyal. Ultimately, the film is about how far Selah will go to demand that loyalty.

Rated R for teen drug content and language.
Running Time: 1 hr. and 37 mins.

Available on Amazon Prime.