Higher Learning (1995)

Featured Audience Ratings

• danny d

  
  a gripping story of race relations at the university level. thankfully most universities are beyond this, as is much of american society, but there are still places in the u.s. where this sort of tragic ignorance remains and this is a great film to address the issues. many only… More
  a gripping story of race relations at the university level. thankfully most universities are beyond this, as is much of american society, but there are still places in the u.s. where this sort of tragic ignorance remains and this is a great film to address the issues. many only decent actors really stepped up their game for this film, and rapaport was simply sensational. an underrated and under appreciated film.

• Jason O

  
  I remember in late '94 or early '95 when I and about 5 other students were helping out a teacher outside of class in her room, and she asked what our favorite movie is currently. Two said "Higher Learning," two (one of them me) said "Speed," and one said… More
  I remember in late '94 or early '95 when I and about 5 other students were helping out a teacher outside of class in her room, and she asked what our favorite movie is currently. Two said "Higher Learning," two (one of them me) said "Speed," and one said something else. I never saw this movie until 2007, and while I still prefer "Speed," this really was an excellent movie. It deals with so many touchy subjects and is like a coming of age drama/crime film. It reminded me of going to high school and college and the struggles we go through while trying to find ourselves during those times. Definitely see this one.

• Khris N

  
  John Singleton's ability to delve into multi-issues and stories creates a superb drama in the most unusual of settings - a university campus. Headed by a superb cast including Michael Rapport, Jennifer Connelly, Ice Cube, Omar Epps, and Kristy Swanson, Higher Learning visualises… More
  John Singleton's ability to delve into multi-issues and stories creates a superb drama in the most unusual of settings - a university campus. Headed by a superb cast including Michael Rapport, Jennifer Connelly, Ice Cube, Omar Epps, and Kristy Swanson, Higher Learning visualises freshman's first step into the new world, and the many issues and lessons they have to deal and learn to make it. From racial, sexual, political and personal, this movie engages these issues in a maze of superb acting and lines, with credit going to Laurence Fishburne as the Political Science lecturer who steals his screen slots with his thoughtful, powerful and engaging presence and lessons. Ice Cube is also a standout, playing a ghetto student, obviously entrenched in the black stigmata and social status, but showing that he is also a refined and poltically savvy individual with heart and a will to learn and build his own ideals and apply it to the world around him. <br/>Watch this for a good insight into uni or college life and the many views from many sides - a movie which works to create understanding - and show that not everything that needs to be learnt is in a classroom. <br/> <br/>For those who are willing to open their eyes to understanding and objectivity - but as Fishburne states: this isn't about objectivity - you have to make a stand. Welcome to the real world.

• James A

  
  In this movie we learn everyone is an ignorant dick and Singleton will never make a better movie than Boyz N Tha Hood.

• Dean M

  
  Amazing and emotional story of new students at the institute of Columbus University with every black, white, Jew and lesbian neatly slotted into his or her place.

• Antony S

  
  Frequently attacked, but I'm keen on it. Perhaps pretty stereotypical, and seems to attribute nearly all of the racist problems to a difference in music, but still it's worth your while. Scuppered in places (AWFUL fight sequence, some disbelievability), but good performances… More
  Frequently attacked, but I'm keen on it. Perhaps pretty stereotypical, and seems to attribute nearly all of the racist problems to a difference in music, but still it's worth your while. Scuppered in places (AWFUL fight sequence, some disbelievability), but good performances help to bolster the material and contains two ace Tori Amos tracks, as if I could begrudge that.

• Todd S

  
  Higher Learning is a very bold film, that shows the paths of 3 college freshman and how they develop socially during their first semester in college. They start out as a group of naive kids, who don't even understand themselves, and develop into different personas that fit the… More
  Higher Learning is a very bold film, that shows the paths of 3 college freshman and how they develop socially during their first semester in college. They start out as a group of naive kids, who don't even understand themselves, and develop into different personas that fit the group of friends they choose to fall in with. It's really interesting to see how 3 people, who are all in the same boat, wind up on such different paths, simply as a result of who they choose to spend their time with. I can't really say much more, but eventually their paths will cross with some very interesting results!

• Naughtia N

  
  This movie follows the university life of several multicultural students. There is high tension on the campus because of racism and violence. Young girls get raped and racial fights occur very often. This movie shows how wrong things can get if such issues aren't worked through… More
  This movie follows the university life of several multicultural students. There is high tension on the campus because of racism and violence. Young girls get raped and racial fights occur very often. This movie shows how wrong things can get if such issues aren't worked through and it basically tells you that every human being should have the basic human rights with no exeptions. I thought this movie was very good and it was great seeing these talented actors at such a young age.

• Joseph E

  
  'Higher Learning" is Thought-Provoking, and realilisticly fresh. This film is packed with a great cats, and shocking statements, and powerful subjects, that "Singleton" makes work perfectly. "Four out of Four" Stars..

• Donna D

  
  Another great epic film by John Singleton, and again he casts Lawrence Fishbourne who's an amazing Professor in this college film based on three new freshmans' entering the college life on a universtity campus. They endear racism, prejudism, rape, sexual confusion, and peer… More
  Another great epic film by John Singleton, and again he casts Lawrence Fishbourne who's an amazing Professor in this college film based on three new freshmans' entering the college life on a universtity campus. They endear racism, prejudism, rape, sexual confusion, and peer pressure on trying to survive the college life. A good strong movie with an excellent cast.

• Ira Z

  
  One of the few movies I've seen where in an awesome story and script far out shone the entire cast.

• Leo L

  
  A brilliant film.

• Janice :

  
  African American discrimination, gender issues, rape, Neo-Nazis, loners, school shootings, relationships.... you have it all here. It's good, not excellent, neither bad... just average.

Read all 13 featured audience ratings