A student body leader's new protégée begins to overshadow her mentor in this campus drama. Tayarisha Poe's feature directing and...
A student body leader's new protégée begins to overshadow her mentor in this campus drama. Tayarisha Poe's feature directing and writing debut.
"In the closed world of an elite Pennsylvania boarding school, the Haldwell, the student body is run by five factions. Seventeen-year-old Selah Summers runs the most dominant group, the Spades, with unshakable poise, as they cater to the most classic of vices and supply students with coveted, illegal alcohol and pills. Tensions between the factions escalate, and when Selah’s best friend/right hand Maxxi becomes distracted by a new love, Selah takes on a protégée, enamored sophomore Paloma, to whom she imparts her wisdom on ruling the school. But with graduation looming and Paloma proving an impressively quick study, Selah’s fears turn sinister as she grapples with losing the control by which she defines herself." (Sundance Film Festival)
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Where to watch Selah and the Spades
87 %113 reviewsRotten Tomatoes® rating
46 %67 reviewsAudience score rating
"If you're a fan of Heathers, Mean Girls or Cruel Intentions, then you're going to love this."
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Stuff
Stuff"Poe may not stick the landing with 100-percent success, but along the way she builds a world of imagination, daring and genuine substance."
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The Washington Post
The Washington Post"It's messy, downbeat and inconclusive, without teachable moments - like everything else in real life."
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The Guardian
The Guardian"Shimmers with youthful promise, both in front of the camera and behind it."
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The New York Times
The New York Times"A YA gangster movie that doubles as a soulful meditation on the beauty and danger of power, when all means justify the end of retaining that power."
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NPR
NPR"The film is funny and astute on the boundless self-seriousness of adolescence, and a formidable start for Ms. Poe's career. Here's looking to her for the next one."
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Wall Street Journal
Wall Street Journal"Selah and the Spades shows a great deal of promise for writer/director Tayarisha Poe, who demands your attention with style and story in her directorial debut."
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RogerEbert.com
RogerEbert.com"The film has more style than plot, but that style is terrific."
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Variety
Variety"Quietly confident in its unconventional yet clear point of view, Selah and the Spades signals a bright future for a promising young filmmaker."
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Hollywood Reporter
Hollywood ReporterSelah and the Spades | Details
- Rating
- 18,
- Runtime
- 97
- Genre
- Drama
- Country of origin
- USA
