Aside from the half-baked commentary on living as an African-American lesbian, Pariah is an almost outstandingly banal Hollywood romance flick. Lovers quarrel, fathers lecture, mothers preach, teens rebel, all against the sloppy backdrop of cringe-inducing heart-and-soul poetry. In short, Rees' screenplay attempts every familiar tear-jerking device, with moments of melodrama that are positively painful to watch. A shame, because Pariah boasts gorgeous cinematography and superb acting all around.

"It's important to talk at length about Pariah's aesthetic because of how it distracts from the emotional truthfulness of the sometimes heartbreaking, by and large gorgeously performed story." - Ed Gonzalez