Dear White People (2014)
78%RT Audience Score: 61%
Awards & Nominations: NA
Dear White People adds a welcome new voice to cinema’s oft-neglected discussion of race, tackling its timely themes with intelligence, honesty, and gratifyingly sharp wit
Dear White People is like a breath of fresh air in the world of movies. It’s a hilarious and thought-provoking satire that tackles the issue of race in America head-on. The film is filled with witty dialogue, sharp humor, and a cast of talented actors who bring their characters to life in a way that’s both entertaining and insightful. Whether you’re looking for a good laugh or a serious discussion about race, Dear White People has something for everyone. So grab some popcorn, sit back, and enjoy the ride!
Production Company(ies)
Brandywine Productions,
Distributor
Roadside Attractions, Lionsgate Films
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
TV-MA
Year of Release
2014
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby Digital
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Aspect ratio:16:9 HD
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Runtime:1h 46m
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Language(s):
-
Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Oct 17, 2014 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 3, 2015
Genre(s)
Comedy/Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Tyler James Williams, Tessa Thompson, Kyle Gallner, Teyonah Parris, Brandon P Bell, Malcolm Barrett, directed by Justin Simien, written by Justin Simien, Comedy, Drama, R, Roadside Attractions, Lionsgate Films, $4.4M, reviewed by Phoebe Robinson, Jenna Marotta, Judy Berman, Candice Frederick, Dwight Brown, Justin Simien, Effie Brown, Julia Lebedev, Angel Lopez, Ann Le, Lena Waithe, The campus culture war, blacks and whites, predominantly white school, humor magazine, offensive Halloween party, satire, racial tensions, infiltrate, white frat house, Higher Learning, Do the Right Thing, fresh new voice
Worldwide gross: NA
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): NA
US/Canada gross: NA
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend:
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Tessa Thompson – Sam White
Kyle Gallner – Kurt Fletcher
Teyonah Parris – Coleandra “Coco” Conners
Brandon P Bell – Troy Fairbanks
Malcolm Barrett – Helmut
Justin Simien – Director/Writer/Producer
Effie Brown – Producer
Julia Lebedev – Producer
Angel Lopez – Producer
Ann Le – Producer
Lena Waithe – Producer
Director(s)
Justin Simien
Writer(s)
Justin Simien
Producer(s)
Justin Simien, Effie Brown, Julia Lebedev, Angel Lopez, Ann Le, Lena Waithe
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
NA
Academy Awards
All Critics (135) | Top Critics (57) | Fresh (123) | Rotten (12)
Despite the chances not taken in terms of storytelling and filmmaking, there are also plenty of reasons to be excited about Dear White People. Simien took what started out as a crowd-funded film and turned it into a pop culture phenomenon.
January 22, 2021
Phoebe Robinson
Bitch Media
TOP CRITIC
…the film explores how two members of the same race can have vastly different experiences depending on how dark their skin is, as well as why certain people can say and act one way, but not others.
March 31, 2020
Jenna Marotta
indieWire
TOP CRITIC
… an incisive look at not only how smart, ambitious people of all different skin tones and experiences talk about race in America, but also what’s behind those words.
September 21, 2017
Judy Berman
Flavorwire
TOP CRITIC
But as great as the message is, and as hilarious as it is at times, Dear White People struggles as a full-length film.
September 1, 2017 | Rating: B-
Candice Frederick
Reel Talk Online
TOP CRITIC
A brilliant piece of writing from a very thoughtful and humorous director.
March 21, 2017
Dwight Brown
National Newspaper Publishers Association
TOP CRITIC
A dagger-sharp satire, a film filled end-to-end with tiny sticks of dynamite, each lit carefully with a gleeful smirk.
June 18, 2016
Jason Bailey
Flavorwire
TOP CRITIC
Dear White People is sharp, entertaining and probably the coolest film of LFF 2014.
November 20, 2019 | Rating: 4.5/5
Katie Smith-Wong
Flick Feast
Dear White People deploys a full arsenal of intellectual weaponry to talk about race and much more in a way most can’t or won’t. It is hilarious. It is brilliant. It is vital. And it’s Simien’s first outing. More please.
July 30, 2019 | Rating: A
Ryan Syrek
The Reader (Omaha, NE)
Simien presents a refreshingly vibrant and genuinely hilarious discourse about contemporary racism.
April 5, 2019 | Rating: 4/5
Patrick Gamble
CineVue
Behind those three big, inciting words is a film that’s as comedic as it is confrontational and as universal as it is intimate, a new-school satire about black identity that’s more inclusive than exclusive.
March 22, 2019 | Rating: 8/10
Bernard Boo
Way Too Indie
Perhaps the best thing Dear White People will do, like Go Fish before it, is to become a gateway for films and television in the same vein.
March 12, 2019
Ren Jender
Bitch Flicks
It’s a well-executed satire, smartly acted (it won the Special Jury Award for Breakthrough Talent at Sundance) and has an interesting plot.
June 13, 2018
Kara Brown
The Muse/Jezebel…
Plot
At a predominantly white Ivy League college, a group of black students navigate various forms of racial and other types of discrimination.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Nothing to add here about Dear White People.
Justin-Simien.jpg
