First-time writer-director Tayarisha Poe has created a vibrant world that begins and ends at Haldwell School. Parents need to know that Selah and the Spades is a drama set in an East Coast private school. Selah and the Spades is a tremendous directorial debut from Tayarisha Poe demonstrated with acerbic wit and also, a superb acting showcase for breakthrough star Lovie Simone. When you purchase a ticket for an independently reviewed film through our site, we earn an affiliate commission. Seated like a queen at the start of the movie that features her name, Selah (Lovie Simone) is inarguably a member of high school royalty. Selah and the Spades review – teen cliques drama balances satire and surrealism This uncanny story of preppy drug dealers has a touch of Heathers and a … The soft light never lets you forget that these little corporals are just kids, even at the height of their adolescent cruelty. Rated R for teenage drug use and language. Even at Selah’s most vicious, with glowing light illuminating her babyish cheeks, we are reminded of Selah’s inexperience. In the exceptionally composed drama “Selah and the Spades,” high school is a battleground where cliques are locked in a struggle for control of the social scene. She’s the head of her own faction, known as the Spades, and she’s a head cheerleader. True to archetype, wide-eyed Paloma turns out to be more cunning than Selah anticipates, and Selah must scramble to hold onto her place in the chain of command. But for all of Selah’s certainty, she is still only a teenager, and a bit blind to how quickly the fortunes of social war can turn. Poe designs her frames with care and sets a languid pace, a relief from the desperate freneticism of many teenage tales. ‘Selah and the Spades’ Review: This Isn’t Your Average Teen Drama. As her authority slips away, Selah never has to articulate her vulnerability or her fear of losing control. It's an unsettling place with five underground factions, predominantly led by girls, that divide the power structure. But more important, they have faces — Norma Desmond would approve. New talent behind and in front of the camera elevates a familiar tale of high-school strife. For the moment, the Spades dominate a fictitious Pennsylvania boarding school called Haldwell, and they are effectively commanded by Selah (Lovie Simone), a senior gifted in strategic maneuvers. Celeste O’Connor, Lovie Simone and Jharrel Jerome in Tayarisha Poe’s debut feature. While there is simple pleasure in watching a movie that is so precisely produced, “Selah and the Spades” aims to do more than look good. It is expressive, using images to make dynamic statements — student leaders on opposing sides of a table become a makeshift war council; Selah swipes her braids over her shoulder and is transformed into a figure of ultimate power. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/16/movies/selah-and-the-spades-review.html Poe demonstrates a sensitivity to how images can show her perspective, and her precision is reflected even in the casting. Running time: 1 hour 37 minutes. She’s someone most everybody says hello to, even if they’re not friends. “Selah and the Spades” shimmers with youthful promise, both in front of the camera and behind it. Poe’s camera does the work instead. The film provides a fresh reminder that the right person with the right look doesn’t have to work hard to communicate an idea. The young actors here are promising performers, and they deliver their dialogue with confidence and personality. Stream on Amazon Prime Video. What makes this familiar story special is the filmmaker’s style, all the more impressive as it is the debut feature from Tayarisha Poe, who both wrote and directed the movie. Selah takes on a protégée, Paloma (Celeste O’Connor), a new student and amateur photographer who has yet to be claimed by one of the school’s warring factions. October 1, 2020 | … Selah looks regal before she ever speaks; Paloma stands out in the crowd even when she’s playing the wallflower.