Think about a time when you felt out of place, where you did not belong and were in the minority. Imagine if it were in your own family. The powerful story coming across the movie screen did not sugar coat the pain, the sadness, the fear as high school senior Alike, played by Adepero Oduye (Half Nelson), is in the beginning stages to her coming out as a lesbian. With a religious mother, who wants to believe feminine clothing could put an end to her daughter’s tomboyish facade and her policeman father’s avoidance of the obvious, Alike struggles to be the person she knows to be inside of her. Adepero was incredible in this role, with a face that was a canvas for the array of emotions that streamed through her body. There is a good possibility she will get an Oscar nomination for this role. A surprise for me was seeing Kim Wayans (In Living Color–TV series, Juwanna Mann) as her strict mother, Audrey; she was excellent in this serious role. In conjunction with the telling of this story, there was the beautiful, intimate filming of it, with stark close-ups washed in rich colors. Whether you are gay or straight, I feel all can appreciate this movie; for ultimately, we are all human.

3 1/4 stars