History Film / HigherLearning

-->'''Phipps:''' Let's say you are running a race and you suspect the opposing team has a member who is faster, stronger, more big time than yourself. What do you do then? Leave the track?
-->'''Malik:''' Hell no!
-->'''Phipps:''' [[ArmorPiercingQuestion What do you do?]]
-->'''Malik:''' ...Run faster.

-->'''Dr. Phipps''' ''(to Kristen)'': What are you?
-->'''Kristen:''' I don't know...

* JerkJock: {{Deconstructed}}. Much of Malik's swaggering attitude stems from [[InferioritySuperiorityComplex feelings of inadequacy]], which in turn can be traced both to his being awarded only a ''partial'' scholarship to Columbus and to the other athletes on the track team, who resent him for the supposed pampering he received from his coaches in high school.

* KickTheSonOfABitch: Billy (the frat boy rapist) gets beaten up for the wrong reason, but he still arguably had it coming.

* AffablyEvil: Scott and his gang are dangerous and ominous looking criminals. They also are the only people who treat Remy remotely well. Ironically, this leads to Remy becoming much ''worse'' than them.
* AmbiguouslyBi: It's never really made clear if Kristen is actually bisexual or just curious. Aside from the merest teasing of a sexual relationship with Taryn (although it's implied that they did), some hand holding, and a kiss (which may or may not have really happened), we only actually see her have sex with men. Of course when she was having sex with her boyfriend she was thinking of Taryn. This lends a dollop of subtext to the scene in which Dr. Phipps is discussing his students' various backgrounds.
-->'''Dr. Phipps''' ''(to Kristen)'': What are you?
-->'''Kristen:''' I don't know...

* ClusterFBomb: When Remy finally snaps and pulls a gun on both Malik and a Jewish student.

%%* DrivenToSuicide: [[spoiler: Remy]] near the end.

* IronicName: MalcolmXerox Fudge's last name is White, it turns out, to Malik's incredulity.

* MalcolmXerox: Fudge. He's the driving force behind the militant afrocentrism that eventually casts Malik in his mold. Malik gradually becomes this as well, and picks up on Fudge's bad habit of using this philosophy as an excuse for his personal shortcomings.

* ScreamingWarrior: On the dramatic side, Omar Epps. On the hilarious side, Busta Rhymez (as he was known as at the time).

%%* TitleDrop: The poet at the festival.

* VillainousBSOD: Remy [[spoiler: right after his shooting spree, culminating in his suicide.]]

* SaltAndPepper
** Kristen and her roommate, Monet.
** Also literally invoked by an interracial couple at a Halloween costume party.

* StatuesqueStunner: Malik begins to date Deja, a beautiful young woman who's quite tall (more than any other female student seen). Fittingly, she runs track like him.

* LegFocus: The camera slowly pans over Deja's long athletic legs while in [[WorkoutFanservice her running gear]], then while she and Malik have sex too.

* BlackComedyRape: Granted, it's at the expense of the rapist rather than the victim herself, but it's still [[MoodWhiplash quite jarring]].