RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
Check out the new RT Community
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | In Theaters
  • | Opening
  • | Upcoming
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
  • | Showtimes
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / On DVD / Pariah
Pariah

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Get this Movie
  • Buy Poster External Icon
  • Bookmark and Share

Pariah (1998)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
47 %
Tomatometer

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted: 15

Fresh: 7

Rotten:8

Average Rating: 5.9/10

Rated: R [See Full Rating] Rated R for brutal violence including rape, sexual content, language and drug material.

Runtime: 1 hr 39 mins

Genre: Dramas

Theatrical Release:Feb 18, 2000 Limited

Synopsis: Inspired by real events close to the director, "Pariah" tells the story of Steve (Damon Jones) and Sam, an interracial couple attacked by Neo-Nazi Skinheads one unexpected night. The brutal attack... Inspired by real events close to the director, "Pariah" tells the story of Steve (Damon Jones) and Sam, an interracial couple attacked by Neo-Nazi Skinheads one unexpected night. The brutal attack has a scarring effect on their lives...although Steve's physical bruises heal, Sam's rape leads to her subsequent suicide, leaving Steve without direction and bent on revenge. He decides to go undercover as a skinhead to learn about these people whose lives have become so entrenched in hate and violence. Steve must learn to act like them, think like them and eventually, to become one of them. With this accomplished, he can then kill them. Steve abandons his former life to realize this goal of revenge. His enemies include Crew(Dave Oren Ward), the leader of the pugnacious pack, who is fresh out of jail and a loyal student of Nazi rhetoric. Crew takes what he wants in a belligerent and manipulating manner. At his side is his girlfriend Sissy(Aimee Chaffin), full of self-hate only enflamed with Crew's put downs, she is torn between leaving for a normal life and the security she feels from being part of the pack. Crew's right hand man is David Lee(David Lee Wilson), an attack dog whose uncontrollable rage feeds the pack and can explode in bursts of violence at the drop of a hat. Rounding out the gang is the overweight and insecure Babe(Ann Zupa), Sissy's retarded brother Doughboy(Brandon Slater), the flighty and heroine addicted Angela(Angela Jones), as well as nameless other terrorizing accomplices. Babe is just the hook Steve needs to infiltrate the pack. Her desire for friends is what brought her into the gang and Steve's eagerness to help fill that void is what attracts her to help him gain entrance. As Steve plunges into the depths of the skinhead world, he must prove his loyalty, his commitment and ultimately, his hate, to garner their acceptance and carry out his plan. In doing so, Steve discovers what personal histories have caused these people to go over the edge, finds himself committing unspeakable crimes and slowly turning into what he intended to destroy. At the pivotal moment he must decide whether a blast to the head is the only form of revenge or if there is another way to combat racism. Poor Boy Productions in association with Nichol Moon Entertainment, presents "PARIAH", written and directed by Randolph Kret. Starring Angela Jones, Damon Jones, Dave Oren Ward, Anna Padgett, David Lee Wilson, Ann Zupa, Brandon Slater, Dan Weene, Jason Posey & Chris Jarecki. -- © 2000 Indican Pictures [More]

Starring: Orlando Estrada, Damon Jones, David Oren Ward, Angela Jones

Starring: Orlando Estrada, Damon Jones, David Oren Ward, Angela Jones, Jason Posey, Anna Padgett, Aimee Chaffin, Dan Weene, David Lee Wilson, Chris Jarecki, Elexa Wilson

Director: Randolph Kret

Director: Randolph Kret
Studio: Indican Pictures

[See More Credits]

Get This Movie

Rent DVD
 
 

Click on the "ADD" button to put this movie into your Netflix queue.

 
 
Buy DVD
 
 
Release:

Jul 17, 2006

No Details Exist
 
 

Reviews for Pariah

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
 
 
1 - 17 (sorted by date)
Text View
Arrange By: Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 

The film maintains a convincing realism: It's acted out by little-known but expert talents and shot, cleverly, as though the camera were a fly on the wall.

Full Review Source: Time Out New York | comment Comment
07/30/07
Michael Freidson
Time Out New York

As hard as it is to watch, Director/Writer Randolph Kret's film does exactly what it's supposed to do...

Full Review Source: MovieMaker Magazine | comment Comment
10/11/06
Kathleen McInnis
MovieMaker Magazine

Take a tip from the title: Shun this well-meaning but ridiculous revenge drama about a vicious gang of bone-headed, California neo-Nazis and the man hell-bent on destroying them.

Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide | comment Comment
10/04/06
Ken Fox
TV Guide's Movie Guide

There are plenty jolting episodes of rage and violence, but in the end this pulpy potboiler is wrapped up in an unsatisfyingly tidy, coincidence-heavy bow.

Full Review Source: Mr. Brown's Movies | comment Comment
07/12/06
Michael Dequina
Mr. Brown's Movies

[T]his [...] film by Randolph Kret mistakes the study of a particularly virulent set of symptoms for a diagnosis... Nuance is not something Mr. Kret has much use for.

Full Review Source: New York Times | comment Comment
08/30/04
A.O. Scott
New York Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: L.A. Weekly | comment Comment
04/08/03
L.A. Weekly

Pariah is [...] a brave, in-your-face attempt to handle a very tough, highly unattractive subject. The result is a commendable, if unpleasant, near miss.

Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
12/08/02
Film Threat

Randolph Kret['s ...] direction forcefully shows how the raw hatred of the skinheads regularly explodes into shocking brutality.

Full Review Source: Boxoffice Magazine | comment Comment
06/05/02
Boxoffice Magazine

Randolph Kret's movie is thrown together helter-skelter, scenes popping up before our eyes without rhyme or reason, but the picture is so visceral, has no much damn frenetic energy, that it compels our attention.

Full Review Source: Compuserve | comment Comment
03/22/01
Harvey S. Karten
Compuserve

does a lot with a little, but it's still not much

Full Review Source: Filmcritic.com | comment Comment
03/22/01
Christopher Null
Filmcritic.com
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Sacramento Bee | comment Comment
03/22/01
Joe Baltake
Sacramento Bee

For all its chutzpah and idealism, Pariah remains a muddled mess, a far cry from Australian director Geoffrey Wright's seminal Romper Stomper, which this film clearly strives to emulate...

Full Review Source: Austin Chronicle | comment Comment
03/22/01
Marc Savlov
Austin Chronicle

[I]n no time flat you get a clear idea of how broadly painted and platitudinous Randolph Kret's Pariah is [...] If only being right were all you needed.

Full Review Source: Village Voice | comment Comment
03/22/01
Michael Atkinson
Village Voice
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

There's no doubting the ability of [director Randolph] Kret [...] in working up an audience and drawing persuasive performances from a sizable cast.

Full Review Source: Los Angeles Times | comment Comment
03/22/01
Kevin Thomas
Los Angeles Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Pariah, like a through-the-looking-glass version of American History X, is brutally raw and often difficult to watch, but this low-budget indie is an important film that deserves to be seen by a large audience.

Full Review Source: Flick Filosopher | comment Comment
03/22/01
MaryAnn Johanson
Flick Filosopher

Pariah, a raw and unblinking look at the skinhead subculture, is a movie I'd like to show to those admirers of Fight Club who have assured me of their movie's greatness. This is the real thing...

Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times | comment Comment
03/22/01
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Though Kret does a poor job of telling it, there is a story struggling to be heard amid the chaos

Full Review Source: AboutFilm.com | comment Comment
03/21/01
Carlo Cavagna
AboutFilm.com
 
 
1 - 17 (sorted by date)
Text View
See More Topics...

Related Forums for Pariah

Click here to be the first to post a message on this forum.

See All

More DVDs

Close
Top Rentals
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
79%
79%
Gran Torino
30%
30%
12 Rounds
23%
23%
Confessions of a Shopa…
—
The Code
39%
39%
Inkheart

More Rentals…

New On DVD This Week
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
22%
22%
Push
12%
12%
The Unborn

More New Releases…

RT On Current TV

What’s Hot On RT

5 Favorite Films

5 Favorite Films

Director Kathryn Bigelow on Hurt Locker, more

Revisiting Hogwarts

Revisiting Hogwarts

Day 2: The Chamber of Secrets

Humpday Clip

Humpday Clip

An exclusive peek at the indie comedy!

RT on Current TV!

RT on Current TV!

Check out the RT Show this Thursday!

Other News

Close
  • Top Stories
  • Popular
  • Interviews
 
 

Comments

 
 
Top Stories
Headlines Comments
  
  • Weekly Ketchup: T.J. Hooker Film in Development
4
  • Warners Shortens Green Lantern Wishlist Source: Hollywood Reporter
76
  • Harold Ramis Talks Ghostbusters 3 Source: MakingOf.com
24
  • Spider-Man 4 Gets Its Third Writer Source: Latino Review
60
  • Warners Wins Favorable Ruling in Superman Case Source: Variety
18
  • Remo Williams Rides Again Source: Risky Biz
10
  • Mortal Kombat 3 Filming in September? Source: Slashfilm
82
  • MacGruber Gets a Director Source: Variety
39
  • PG-13 Turns 25 Source: VideoETA
8
  • Weekly Ketchup: Universal Takes on Asteroids
92
Popular
Headlines Comments
  
  • Deconstructing Harry, Day 1: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
67
  • Box Office Guru Wrapup: Transformers and Ice Age Tie for Top Spot
59
  • Weekly Ketchup: Universal Takes on Asteroids
46
  • Deconstructing Harry, Day 2: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
43
  • Five Favorite Films with Kathryn Bigelow
39
  • Total Recall: Mock Docs That Rock
38
  • Critics Consensus: Bruno is Certified Fresh
36
  • RT on DVD: Knowing, Push, The Unborn Unleashed
26
  • Five Favourite Films with Jaime Winstone
19
  • Watch RT on Current TV
6
Interviews
Headlines Comments
  
  • RT Interview: Director Carlos Cuaron on Rudo and Cursi
0
  • RT Interview: Tony Scott on The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3
10
  • Cannes 2009: RT Interview - Sally Hawkins on We Want Sex
2
  • RT Interview: Tilda Swinton on Julia
5
  • Hollywood Legend Debbie Reynolds Reflects On her Life in Showbiz
10
  • Exclusive: McG Talks Terminator Salvation
24
  • Georgia Groome - Fresh Talent on RT
5
  • RT Interview: Reading The Reader with Stephen Daldry
11
  • RT Interview: Oscar Nominee Melissa Leo
7
  • Carey Mulligan - Fresh Talent on RT
7
 
 

Sponsored Links

Around The Network

  • Pariah at Rotten Tomatoes
  • Pariah at AskMen

Fresh Links

Featured
Point-Counterpoint: Bruno
Point-Counterpoint: Bruno External Link

MSN's David Fear and Frank Paiva go head to head discussing the pros and cons of Bruno star Sacha Baron Cohen.

The New Cult Canon
The New Cult Canon External Link

The AV Club's Scott Tobias takes a second look at David Lynch's cult classic, Lost Highway.

Tom Cruise's 10 Best Roles
Tom Cruise's 10 Best Roles External Link

TIME takes us on a 25-year long journey into the superstar's career, giving us a look at his 10 best roles.

A Baywatch Comedy?
A Baywatch Comedy? External Link

BuzzSugar reports on Paramount's plans to rebirth the iconic TV show as a comedy film.

 
 
About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Games| Celebs List| Newsletter
IGN Logo

IGN.com | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | GameSpy Technology
TeamXbox | Planets | Vaults | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | Direct2Drive | Green Pixels


By continuing past this page, and by the continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. About IGN | Support | Advertise | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! IGN RSS Feeds
IGN's enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA
Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.