Permeating throughout writer-director Tayarisha Poe’s feature debut, SELAH AND THE SPADES, is a gripping, atmospheric twist on the high school drama, operating both as a seedy crime drama and a thoughtful coming of age tale where the future hardly seems as bright as the present. Refreshing and often absorbing as all that can be, what bogs it down as it nears its twisty finale is how all the strongest, most unique elements can feel mushed together like the first season of a rich, new TV drama crammed into 90 minutes, where for every bit that feels bold and creative there's almost as many that feel undercooked.
Set at a boarding school in Pennsylvania, The Haldwell School, SPADES marks yet another entry in what feels like a renaissance for teen-centric content, but offers a unique twist by focusing less on the typical day-days of the students and more on the school's underground factions that turn the whole thing into a criminal enterprise. These centralized groups run the student body away from the prying eyes of faculty– organizing parties, getting illegal substances, shaking down students who don't pay up, etc. Reminiscent of Rian Johnson's BRICK (his first feature, also), which operated as crime noir in the realm of high school, these groups are locked in a mafioso realm of their own making, running things with a Five Families of New York approach, even convening at a High Table of sorts in the woods. At the center of this movie's intricate web is Selah (Lovie Simone), the leader of the Spades and a senior approaching her final days at Haldwell. All business and not one for the frivolity of sex, drugs and anything else the other students do, she's struggling to come to grips with the end of her reign, who will succeed her, and where her life will go after.
While there is a complicated and enticing world of deceit and crime that Poe has constructed, it's strength lies in the quiet character study of Selah. A fully formed character, Selah has built herself up within the ranks of the school with an undeterred level of confidence and social acuity, knowing full well how the world often subjects young women her age and knowing even more what to do to subvert that subjection. Simone carries her character with poise, leaning head-on into the mature, sometimes violent material. Like many stories about crime, hers is one of struggling to retain a sense of power and control, all on the precipice of graduating high school — and in a very relatable, innocent way — living up to the expectations of her demanding mother (Gina Torres). It's a fascinating, dark way of approaching high school material that so many other great movies and shows are out there now, so it should have no problem cutting through the clutter. The driving force of the narrative comes when Selah finds a worthy successor in new student and newspaper photographer, Paloma (Celeste O'Connor).
As Selah and her right-hand-man, Maxi (Jharrel Jerome), show Paloma the ropes, Poe gets to show off much of her range as a filmmaker. As a director, working with cinematographer Jomo Fray, Haldwell certainly has a dark, shady, aesthetic to it that can feel dangerous and even haunting, as Poe tends to play with a variety of framing techniques that it can make it feel almost like a thriller. But in the midst of all the crime and backstabbing Poe keeps in mind to inject some playfulness, like how them counting their money and taking drug inventory on the floor of their dorm can feel almost whimsical. There are plenty of scenes that are captivating on a visceral level, like as Selah tries to convince Paloma about the necessity of "making an example" out of another student, long strands of thick, red string looking like blood cascading down a black backdrop.
Unfortunately, her script isn't quite as strong as her eye, and while she never shies away from treating her characters seriously and intelligently, she misses opportunities to make her cast of players feel as necessary in the story as they should be. While Selah is well fleshed-out and benefitting from a strong performance from Simone, Paloma (despite an also strong showing from O'Connor) doesn't feel as richly explored as a character, being put through the proper beats as she ascends (descends?) to Selah's level of crime operation, but without much context into how she gets there emotionally. It seems the story is meant to be about the shifts in power dynamics and the effect it has on the two, but with the focus understandably on Selah, the arc of Paloma feels like it's missing some key development. This can even make Selah's journey seem less impactful as it could be, with a real emotional kicker to drive it all home feeling a little lacking. But even with some character work lacking its full potential, and the dialogue at times seeming a bit overly-serious, there's a lot to love in the world Poe has crafted.
In fact, the sheer ingenuity and potential of the setting can be just as much a crux as it is a gift. The canvas of it is so big and worthwhile of exploration that it feels almost too much for the short runtime and the central exploration of Selah. Great characters and performances from talent both new and veteran (Jesse Williams as the Headmaster) are left off to the side, the intricacies of their operation(s) are alluded to but not often shown. I got this conflicting sensation that it all can't help but feel at times like a sizzle reel for something that's meant to be bigger, even as we're meant to stay focused on the character study of Selah.
Oddly enough, after finishing the movie and getting some background information, I wasn’t surprised to discover that when Amazon Studios bought the rights to the movie it was with the deal to expand it out into a drama series. That’s a testament to the world and characters Poe created, wherein after no time at all you will find yourself wanting so much more from this preppy boarding school and all the shady dealings within, and hopefully, to see some returning characters blossom. But with that also comes an inescapable flaw that there’s so much left of both the characters (primary and supporting) and themes left on the table, with a conclusion that works better for a finale to a season of TV series than a movie. As a concept and extra-long pilot for a series, there's potential for endless brilliance; as a standalone movie, being very good will have to do.