What is the White savior trope? It’s a plot device used in movies where a white character heroically comes into the picture to the save day for a group of people of color (typically Black people).
They use their privilege to teach these people of color the “right” way to do things or by “saving” them from their plight or struggle. Typically, the story is more about the character doing the saving and less about the people of color accomplishing something amazing.
These movies are normally used as “Oscar bait” and often they win these awards. This doesn’t mean that these movies can’t be done well. In some cases, they are quite good, but in others, they are so egregious to the point of annoyance. Some claim to be based on true stories, like “The Blind Side,” but in actuality, they are taking advantage of minority characters.
Here are movies (both good and bad) that heavily relied on the White Savior trope.