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Higher Learning
1994
The third installment in John Singleton's trilogy about South Central Los Angeles, HIGHER LEARNING examines mid-1990s university politics from racial, sexual, and economic standpoints. At fictional Columbus University (where a statue of the explorer stands witness to the dominant culture's supremacy), three freshman arrive to .. Read more
| Starring | Jennifer Connelly, Ice Cube, Omar Epps, Michael Rapaport |
|---|---|
| Director | John Singleton |
| Genres | Drama, Gay/Lesbian |
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Higher Learning
The third installment in John Singleton's trilogy about South Central Los Angeles, HIGHER LEARNING examines mid-1990s university politics from racial, sexual, and economic standpoints. At fictional Columbus University (where a statue of the explorer stands witness to the dominant culture's supremacy), three freshman arrive to find a campus ready to explode. Malik (Omar Epps) wavers among the influences of revolution-preaching super-senior Fudge (Ice Cube), no-excuses Professor Phipps (Laurence Fishburne), and his motivated girlfriend Deja (Tyra Banks). Kristen (Kristy Swanson), another neophyte, is thrown into sexual confusion when she meets a charismatic lesbian, while the socially inept Remy (Michael Rapaport) can only fit in with the local skinheads. The storylines cross and complicate as each character tries to discover what's right, but the potential for violence grows with every wrong choice they make. Singleton recruited an emsemble of considerable talent to flesh out the complex plot, which allows him to deal efficiently with a breadth of concerns without preaching.
| Starring | Jennifer Connelly, Ice Cube, Omar Epps, Michael Rapaport, Kristy Swanson, Laurence Fishburne, Regina King, Cole Hauser, Tyra Banks, Busta Rhymes |
|---|---|
| Director | John Singleton |
| Studio | SONY PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMENT |
| Run time | DVD: 2 hrs 3 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Drama, Gay/Lesbian |
| Language | DVD: English |
| Subtitles | DVD: Arabic, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Italian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish |
| Released | DVD: 06 Jan 2003 Production year: 1994 |
| Format | DVD |
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Critics' reviews (6)
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Director John Singleton's thoughtful, sometimes heavy-handed, third feature recalls Spike Lee's 1988 campus satire School Daze, with its depiction of a university campus as social microcosm. In a place where race and peer pressure matter more than intelligence and individuality, only professor Laurence Fishburne (who also appeared in the Lee movie) seems capable of thinking for himself. However, his idealistic belief in talent seems curiously naive alongside the terrified eagerness with which freshmen Michael Rapaport, Omar Epps and Kristy Swanson seek to fit into their new environment. Cole Hauser is chillingly effective as the white supremacist skinhead who reveals Rapaport's potential for violence, while Jennifer Connelly gives the most adult performance as a worldly-wise lesbian.
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Earnest drama on the complexities and inequalities of the education system, a little too schematic in its oppositions to be entirely persuasive, particularly in its melodramatic finale.
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Most helpful member's review
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3 out of 3 people found this review helpful
quality
Great movie. WATCH IT.
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Most recent members' review
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2 out of 2 people found this review helpful
This is a amazing movie gr8 cast and excellent storyline a must watch for anyone who enjoys coming of age drama's.
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Higher Learning
The third installment in John Singleton's trilogy about South Central Los Angeles, HIGHER LEARNING examines mid-1990s university politics from racial, sexual, and economic standpoints. At fictional Columbus University (where a statue of the explorer stands witness to the dominant culture's ...
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