Pariah is a coming-of-age drama film written and directed by Dee Rees. The film revolves around the life of Alike (Adepero Oduye), a 17-year old African American girl living in Brooklyn, New York. Alike is struggling with her sexual identity, as she knows she is gay, but is unable to express herself due to her conservative and religious family.
Alike's mother (Kim Wayans) forces her to wear dresses, attend church, and hang out with her best friend Laura (Pernell Walker), who has a reputation for sleeping around with boys. Alike, on the other hand, prefers to dress in masculine clothing and discover her true self.
As Alike begins to embrace her sexuality, she falls for a butch girl named Bina (Aasha Davis), who introduces her to the lesbian scene in Brooklyn. However, Alike's newfound identity puts her at odds with her family and puts her friendship with Laura at risk.
As her family life begins to unravel, Alike must come to terms with who she is and fight for her own happiness. The film explores themes of identity, self-expression, and acceptance, as Alike navigates her way through teenage life and discovers her true self. The performances are strong throughout the film and the story is heart-wrenching, relatable, and empowering.