... a sharp, smart, ambitious satire of race, racism, privilege, prejudice, and power at an Ivy League college that has drawn comparisons to Spike Lee.

| Aug 20, 2023

It’s remarkable how Simien keeps his film moving at such a breakneck pace, each line a reference to or a commentary on pressing sociological concerns that are rarely spoken about this openly.

| Sep 13, 2022

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.

| Jan 22, 2021

...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.

| Mar 31, 2020

Dear White People is sharp, entertaining and probably the coolest film of LFF 2014.

| Original Score: 4.5/5 | Nov 20, 2019

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.

| Original Score: A | Jul 30, 2019

Simien presents a refreshingly vibrant and genuinely hilarious discourse about contemporary racism.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Apr 5, 2019

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.

| Original Score: 8/10 | Mar 22, 2019

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.

| Mar 12, 2019

It's a well-executed satire, smartly acted (it won the Special Jury Award for Breakthrough Talent at Sundance) and has an interesting plot.

| Jun 13, 2018

All in all it was a good movie. It was funny and served its purpose, I don't think I'll be telling folks this is the movie they need to see for 2014 but it's one I would suggest.

| Jun 12, 2018

Dear White People embodies the virtues of the truly independent film, substituting strong writing, good performances from a largely unfamiliar cast, and a fresh, distinctive vision for the blockbuster's hefty budget.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Nov 22, 2017

Everyone will laugh at different things in Dear White People, and everyone will wince at different things. This is a great movie to see in a big group-you'll want to talk about it as soon as it's over.

| Oct 11, 2017

... 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.

| Sep 21, 2017

... for the most part [writer/director Justin Simien] admirably presents the complexities of race in contemporary culture...

| Sep 19, 2017

But as great as the message is, and as hilarious as it is at times, Dear White People struggles as a full-length film.

| Original Score: B- | Sep 1, 2017

With his first film, Dear White People, Justin Simien has proven himself to be one the most exciting emerging voices in cinema. See it.

| Aug 14, 2017

I found DWP to be a contemplative film about the stereotypes that exist and the roles we are forced to play. Audiences of all ages and races need to see DWP.

| Jun 27, 2017

Dear White People is clever, loving, angry satire. It's a multi-faceted exploration of race in a time when such portrayals are needed. The film sometimes falters in its process, but delivers the goods when it matters most.

| Jun 23, 2017

A brilliant piece of writing from a very thoughtful and humorous director.

| Mar 21, 2017