HOME / ENTERTAINMENT / TV

'Selah and The Spades' Review: A meticulous exploration into teenage politics and high school gangs

As Selah, Lovie Simone is simply outstanding in her performance

Spoilers for 'Selah and The Spades'

The seniors of Haldwell, an elite Pennsylvania Boarding School, are close to graduating and leaving the school grounds forever. And if nothing else works out for them in the real world, they are very well-suited for the mafia.

The social structure in the school is divided into five factions and 17-year-old Selah runs the most dominant group among them — the Spades. 

The Spades ensure supply for the vilest of vices on campus. From the most potent of drugs to illegal alcohol, it is the Spades who look after the addictions and folly of the high schoolers. 

But as it is with several factions of the mafia ruling an area, there is never peace. Amid rising tensions among the factions, Selah is looking to pass down the crown to a protege and this is where Paloma (Celeste O'Connor) comes into the picture.  

A sophomore at Haldwell, Paloma has secured a scholarship for her education at the elite, prestigious school. Almost immediately she catches Selah's eye, who sees something in her. Her gut says that Paloma is the perfect protege and the most suited person to take The Spades forward.

However, heavy is the head that wears the crown. And Selah — complete with all her poise and authority — doesn't have it easy. She finds herself inept to adequately fulfill the expectations of her highly demanding mother — a chilling cameo by Gina Torres. 

The movie is a meticulous exploration of student politics through the eyes of gangs. Haldwell school is cautious to mention that it considers these student factions as gangs, and gangs are prohibited on school grounds. But it cannot do much beyond that — no matter how much the headmaster (Jesse Williams) attempts otherwise.

As the tensions continue to escalate, Selah discovers that there is a snitch in her faction. Unknown to her, it is caused by her right hand Maxxie's distraction (Jharrel Jerome).

When this is dealt with, it is clear now more than ever that she must continue forward without a right hand, eventually firing Maxxie from all his duties in a shameful, bloody dismissal.

'Selah and The Spades' is a story about power and control. While Selah Summers knows that her reign at Haldwell is coming to an end, she rushes to find the perfect successor. At the same time, she displays a constant inner turmoil in a battle to fully give away that power. 

In a visually enchanting experience written and directed by Tayarisha Poe, 'Selah and The Spades' comes from a deeply personal space, as the creator delves deeper into her boarding school past to explore the power and independence that comes with being a high schooler who studies in a high profile school.

"I just wanted to try and capture the feeling of living away from home and having that independence," Poe said in our earlier report.

At one point, the ending for the movie could be deemed incomplete and confusing — what just happened, you'd wonder to yourself. The answer is that 'Selah and The Spades' is a lot more style than it is plot.

As Selah, Lovie Simone is simply outstanding in her performance. Slow, calculated and scheming, the newcomer brings the shrewd, twisted character to life with ease. Selah is aware of the power she has over people and the other factions, and she doesn't hesitate to utilize this in any way possible.

The constant conflict she harbors within herself is not allowed to leak through — it must be dealt with within, no matter how stormy it gets. At the same time, she adds a layer to her that only sinks in once you have walked away from the screen.

Selah is not an easy character to read. A reason for this is that the creator Poe makes it puzzling for us to figure her out making it the highlight of this fascinating movie. 

'Selah and The Spades' is a story about power and control and an in-depth analysis of the youth that implements it.

It drops on Amazon Prime Video on April 17.