Mariah Film Analysis

Pariah
Many terms come to mind when thinking about the independent (“indie”) film industry. Low-budget, inexperienced actors, non-commercialized, and shallow plotline. However, there are several major stylistic aspects of independently produced films that define the genre in comparison to films that are produced by large production companies. When producing an independent film, the director is not inhibited by the limitations the larger companies have. Without these limitations, the directors can usually get away with more grotesque images. This means that they can break some of the normal rules of filming in order to amplify certain features shown. This aspect is one of the pillars that plays a large part of what independent films result in;
The actors’ conversations are not very complex at face value, but the words can often mean more than what is actually said. The scripting language and physical expressions of the characters throughout the film shows the connection Alike has with her family. The first dinner is very light-hearted conversation about prom and Alike’s parents expressing their own opinions about the subject. The audience can tell from the wording of what the characters say, that Alike has a closer relationship to her father than to her mother. Her conversations with her mother are very short and one sided. During the dinner scene, Alike calls out her mother by asking her what memories she has from high school. Her mother is drawn away by the response. This is one of the first examples of how Alike is rejecting the person her mother wants her to be. As the film progresses, Alike grows more and more aware of her sexual identity, and the conversations she has become a contrasting element to show how disconnected she feels around her family. However, whenever she is speaking with her father, there are feelings that he may already know that she is a