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School Daze

Play trailer Poster for School Daze R 1988 2h 1m Musical Comedy Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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58% Tomatometer 31 Reviews 78% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
At historically black Mission College, the activist-minded Dap (Larry Fishburne) immerses himself in a world of political rhetoric and social movements -- one day he hopes to rally the students as a united front. At the other end of the spectrum, Julian (Giancarlo Esposito), the head of the biggest fraternity on campus, is more concerned with maintaining a strict social order. In between, Dap's conflicted cousin, Half-Pint (Spike Lee), spends most of his time rushing the fraternity.
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School Daze

School Daze

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Critics Consensus

School Daze is undeniably messy, but thought-provoking themes, strong performances, and Spike Lee's ingratiating energy help tie it all together.

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Critics Reviews

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Richard Brody The New Yorker 03/03/2023
A teeming showcase of invigorating performances... Go to Full Review David Ehrenstein Chicago Reader 05/11/2022
4/4
The problem isn’t with School Daze; the problem is with a white culture that cannot deal with the spectacle of blacks on-screen on their own terms. Go to Full Review Derek Adams Time Out 06/24/2006
Lee has a small, intimate talent; here, he goes for the big podium and blows it. Go to Full Review Justine Smith Vague Visages 06/06/2024
Borrowing the tropes from classical Hollywood musicals, early exploitation cinema and the popularity of the college raunch comedy, Lee subverts the values of the dominant social ethics and reaches into the heart of artifice ripping... Go to Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy 01/01/2024
2.5/4
An often insightful, often amateurish comedy-drama-musical. Go to Full Review Justin Brown Medium Popcorn 10/08/2020
2/5
There are some technical issues that Spike brings into films...I enjoyed the conversations that came from this movie...but as a standalone film, it was boring at times. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Joe P Aug 10 A complex, brilliant , heartfelt movie. The sole reason why I attended an HBCU. This movie is messy and filled with tension and explores a lot of uncomfortable subject matters within the Black American experience. I adore it. Thank You Spike. I am eternally grateful. See more thiago s @Thiagostone Jun 15 Filme mais ou menos, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são mais ou menos, a história é fraca, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, os personagens são fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, para fazer o filme ser bom, e várias cenas do filme foram interessantes. See more Steve D 03/02/2023 Spike is still figuring out his voice, See more 02/12/2023 This has plenty of thought provoking themes and a high enough bundle of energy to stand out getting the conversation started about the oppressed under apartheid South Africa with a great cast See more 04/29/2021 Truly horrible idiotic movie See more 02/07/2021 Probably the best college movie of all time. Great cast and soundtrack. Also I always thought Spike was great in this not only as director but as an actor his character is always most memorable for me when I think of this film even though Larry Fishburne tried to steal the show. See more Read all reviews
School Daze

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Cast & Crew

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Spike Lee

Director

Laurence Fishburne

Dap

Giancarlo Esposito

Julian

Tisha Campbell-Martin

Jane Toussaint

Joe Seneca

President McPherson

Art Evans

Cedar Cloud

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School Daze

School Daze (1988) School Daze (1988) School Daze (1988) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis At historically black Mission College, the activist-minded Dap (Larry Fishburne) immerses himself in a world of political rhetoric and social movements -- one day he hopes to rally the students as a united front. At the other end of the spectrum, Julian (Giancarlo Esposito), the head of the biggest fraternity on campus, is more concerned with maintaining a strict social order. In between, Dap's conflicted cousin, Half-Pint (Spike Lee), spends most of his time rushing the fraternity.
Director
Spike Lee
Producer
Spike Lee
Screenwriter
Spike Lee
Distributor
Columbia Pictures
Production Co
40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks, Columbia Pictures Corporation
Rating
R
Genre
Musical, Comedy, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Feb 12, 1988, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 1, 2011
Box Office (Gross USA)
$11.7M
Runtime
2h 1m
Sound Mix
Surround
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