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confront Billy at a frat party to beat him up badly for the racist remark, and
Kristen points out Billy to the black students, who force him to apologize to Monet for racially insulting her during his phone call, but they don't know that he sexually assaulted Kristen. Shortly afterwards, Kristen joins Taryn's student group and confides in her about the rape. Taryn encourages Kristen to report the crime. As they grow closer, Kristen begins developing romantic feelings for Taryn. Eventually, Kristen decides to continue a relationship with Wayne, a college student and friend of Malik she was already dating before meeting Taryn.
305:". Kristen later meets Taryn, an openly lesbian feminist junior, who warns her about walking alone at night and invites her to join a student group. Meanwhile, Malik and Kristen both take a political science class taught by Maurice Phipps, a conservative black man from the British West Indies who challenges his students to determine their own identities instead of letting others categorize them.
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572:, which I was 25 years old making it, I'm like chock full of everything that would concern young people: lesbianism, and racism, and everything I could put in that movie. It was a great movie. A fun movie to do. But you could never get that movie made now. Never. The guy shoots everybody, know what I mean?"
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wrote that the film is "consistently entertaining and well-acted all around. While it's not a perfect movie – Cube's character disappears for a 30-minute stretch and
Singleton's approach often veers into heavy-handedness – it is nevertheless an intriguing look at the differences between races and how
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In the aftermath, Malik discusses his future with Phipps, explaining that he feels discouraged and unsure about continuing his studies after all that has happened. Phipps expresses trust in Malik's judgment. Malik and
Kristen, who have had minimal interaction with each other, have a conversation near
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commended John
Singleton's direction of the film: "He sees with a clear eye and a strong will, and is not persuaded by fashionable ideologies. His movies are thought-provoking because he uses familiar kinds of characters and then asks hard questions about them." He awarded the film three out of four
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After Malik confronts Phipps over a poor grade on a paper and accuses him of selling out to the white establishment, Phipps shows him the various spelling and grammar errors and emphasizes the importance of taking personal responsibility and working hard to make a difference, explaining to Malik his
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statue, reflecting on the recent events. While
Kristen believes the shooting was her fault for organizing the peace festival, Malik reassures her that she is not to blame, and that it was the right thing to do at the time, before walking away from the campus, leaving his fate at the university
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When Remy complains about Fudge's habit of constantly disrupting his studies with loud music, Fudge mockingly threatens him, leading Remy to move out and get a new roommate named David Isaacs. Remy's frustration grows when Malik mocks him after winning a video game. Shortly afterwards, feeling
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A turning point occurs when a frat boy named Billy McDonald rapes
Kristen, ignoring her refusal to have sex without a condom. Monet, Kristen's roommate, discovers her crying and receives a racially offensive call from Billy; she then decides to seek help from Fudge, who recruits his friends to
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wrote: "A stylish, intelligent film-maker, Singleton interweaves the threads of his demographic tapestry with assurance, passion and a welcome awareness of the complexities of the college community's contradictory impulses towards integration and separatism." Writing in
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perspective that black people have to work twice as hard to achieve the same social status as white people. Afterwards, Malik improves his writing skills with the help of his girlfriend, fellow track athlete Deja, and learns valuable lessons about self-improvement.
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The film concludes with Fudge, Taryn, and others graduating from
Columbus University. The closing shot features Professor Phipps walking beneath the American flag, with the caption "Unlearn" superimposed over it.
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Remy's hatred and racism escalate as he pulls a gun on Malik and David, using racial slurs. He eventually drops out of the university. Encouraged by his Neo-Nazi friends, Remy, armed with a
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grossed $ 38,290,723 in the United States, with $ 20,200,000 in rentals. It ranked #44 for yearly domestic gross and #17 amongst R-rated films in 1995.
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was also nominated for the award. This was the last film appearance of
Dedrick D. Gobert, who was shot dead in 1994 prior to the film's release.
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which is interfering with his studying. Fudge argues that the police unfairly target black students while ignoring white students playing loud "
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led by Scott Moss, who live close to the Campus; he is influenced by their racist beliefs and eventually joins their ranks as a Nazi skinhead.
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felt that the movie fell short of its goal, saying it "turns out to be an inadvertent example of the same small-mindedness it deplores".
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s goals; unfortunately, writer-director John
Singleton too often struggles to fit his themes within a consistently engaging story." On
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based on 41 reviews, with an average rating of 5.30/10. The site's consensus states; "It's hard to fault
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increasingly isolated from his peers at the
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and fellow freshman, contacts campus police to break up the party due to the loud
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The film starts with Kristen Connor, a friendly but naïve white woman from
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Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood
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The character Malik, played by the same actor, Omar Epps, appears in
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for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture. Fishburne won.
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The exterior shots and outdoor scenes were shot on the campus of
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such differences can clash", and awarded it 3.5 stars out of 4.
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for "Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture";
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988:. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. February 4, 1995.
724:"Higher Learning (1995) - Financial Information"
874:"The Films of John Singleton: Higher Learning"
293:Fudge's roommate Remy, a quiet white man from
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490:performs, as Themselves, at the Peace Fest.
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694:"Higher Learning (1995) - Box Office Mojo"
255:' first performance in a theatrical film.
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1272:Films with screenplays by John Singleton
274:(UCLA) while the interiors were shot at
1227:Films about racism in the United States
1247:Films set in universities and colleges
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964:from the original on February 12, 2019
908:from the original on November 28, 2017
884:from the original on October 13, 2007.
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1307:English-language romantic drama films
1267:Films about rape in the United States
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954:"DVD Talk Interview - John Singleton"
790:from the original on January 26, 2021
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272:University of California, Los Angeles
674:from the original on August 12, 2014
660:Natale, Richard (January 20, 1995).
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853:from the original on April 30, 2019
754:from the original on March 26, 2016
244:), a shy and naive girl; and Remy (
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1302:English-language crime drama films
841:Maslin, Janet (January 11, 1995).
467:Dedrick D. Gobert as Fudge's Homie
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704:from the original on May 18, 2017
520:The film received mixed reviews.
1242:Films directed by John Singleton
602:. It peaked at number 39 on the
594:'s New Deal Music label through
482:as Deja Track Coach (uncredited)
21:Higher Learning (disambiguation)
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872:Nusair, David (June 24, 2001).
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1212:Films scored by Stanley Clarke
1202:Films about female bisexuality
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476:as Track Anchor (uncredited)
16:1995 film by John Singleton
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1237:Films about school violence
798:– via RogerEbert.com.
413:as Professor Maurice Phipps
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1187:American crime drama films
611:Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
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504:For their performances in
470:Malcolm Norrington as Cory
177:January 11, 1995
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1297:Bisexuality-related films
1257:Films shot in Los Angeles
1182:1995 romantic drama films
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810:"Higher Learning Review"
627:Rage Against the Machine
228:written and directed by
1207:Columbia Pictures films
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251:The film also featured
163:Sony Pictures Releasing
1282:African-American films
1232:Films about neo-Nazism
1172:1995 crime drama films
553:holds a 46% rating on
440:Talbert Morton as Erik
1262:Lesbian-related films
744:"Image Awards (1996)"
698:www.boxofficemojo.com
276:Sony Pictures Studios
119:Peter Lyons Collister
1292:1990s American films
1217:Films about academia
776:(January 11, 1995).
609:and number 9 on the
334:Christopher Columbus
19:For other uses, see
224:is a 1995 American
1066:Films directed by
847:The New York Times
535:The New York Times
516:Critical response
464:as Chad Shadowhill
419:as Officer Bradley
411:Laurence Fishburne
315:white supremacists
257:Laurence Fishburne
106:Laurence Fishburne
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928:"Higher Learning"
878:Reel Film Reviews
783:Chicago Sun-Times
778:"Higher Learning"
667:Los Angeles Times
544:Reel Film Reviews
462:Randall Batinkoff
429:Andrew Bryniarski
375:Jennifer Connelly
359:as Kristen Connor
353:as Malik Williams
261:NAACP Image Award
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152:Columbia Pictures
81:Jennifer Connelly
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1128:2 Fast 2 Furious
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193:Running time
170:Release date
128:Bruce Cannon
826:January 27,
794:February 5,
729:The Numbers
633:Pop culture
576:Soundtrack
522:Roger Ebert
510:Image Award
456:Kari Wuhrer
407:as "Dreads"
399:Cole Hauser
393:Jason Wiles
387:Regina King
197:127 minutes
64:Produced by
46:Directed by
1167:1995 films
1161:Categories
939:2022-04-01
933:Metacritic
647:References
588:soundtrack
566:Metacritic
494:Reception
488:Eve's Plum
458:as Claudia
381:Tyra Banks
253:Tyra Banks
226:drama film
210:Box office
181:1995-01-11
144:Production
56:Written by
1144:Abduction
985:Billboard
968:April 30,
912:August 2,
857:April 30,
623:Tori Amos
619:Liz Phair
605:Billboard
596:550 Music
486:The band
452:as Nicole
431:as Knocko
351:Omar Epps
299:rap music
238:Omar Epps
125:Edited by
91:Omar Epps
69:Paul Hall
1120:Baby Boy
1104:Rosewood
1020:AllMovie
962:Archived
906:Archived
882:Archived
851:Archived
815:Time Out
788:Archived
752:Archived
702:Archived
672:Archived
528:Time Out
437:as James
425:as Billy
395:as Wayne
389:as Monet
377:as Taryn
369:Ice Cube
265:Ice Cube
133:Music by
86:Ice Cube
74:Starring
758:May 26,
708:May 26,
678:June 3,
615:OutKast
525:stars.
383:as Deja
365:as Remy
259:won an
202:Country
179: (
146:company
1147:(2011)
1139:(2005)
1131:(2003)
1123:(2001)
1115:(2000)
1107:(1997)
1099:(1995)
1091:(1993)
1083:(1991)
1112:Shaft
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1009:IMDb
970:2019
914:2023
859:2019
828:2015
796:2021
760:2017
748:IMDb
710:2017
680:2012
625:and
586:The
345:Cast
282:Plot
1029:at
1018:at
1007:at
607:200
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