School Daze Details

In attempting to present campus life as a microcosm of African-American society, Spike Lee succeeds in raising many points without reaching any conclusions in this spirited, if disjointed musical comedy. He wants to discuss political issues, but makes their advocates so dull that, for all their boorish behaviour, the good-time airheads seem much more attractive. Similarly, he attacks the conventions of college life without exploring any alternatives and takes pot shots at sexism, racism and the age and class divides without steadying his aim. A couple of the songs are well staged and Larry (before he became Laurence) Fishburne gives a steady performance, but, overall, this is a disappointing satire.