directed by George Tillman, Jr.
starring Amandla Stenberg, Russell Hornsby, Regina Hall, Anthony Mackie, Common, Issa Rae
Recommended? Yes, highly. A must-see.
I knew this was the movie to see as the George Tillman Jr. directed screen adaptation of the YA novel went wide. Many of you have seen it already. I went with trepidation. Not because I didn't think the film would be good, but because the subject matter is painful. I'd been trying to get through the audiobook of the brilliant Angie Thomas novel and have not been able to do it. The story of how a young teen copes with seeing another best friend die of gun violence right in front of her, this time from a policeman's bullet, is a story we unfortunately know all too well.
The saving grace of this narrative is in seeing how this exceptional teen rises up, takes action, and becomes who she is meant to be.
Far from being a simple tale of "something terrible happened and it made me a better person," The Hate U Give manages to meld a YA coming-of-age story with a treatise on black identity, black love, the immediacy of hip-hop as social commentary, social justice, political action, police brutality, class, crime, and racism. Watching a teenager have to navigate between the social hierarchy of a mostly white private school, the supportive enclave or her family, and the harsh realities of the streets in between is stunning. Though many of us have grown up this way, to see it portrayed in a way that few films have captured with such poignancy makes me marvel anew at the resiliency of people of color who must cope, dodge, adapt, and overcome just to survive in our society.
Watching this brilliant film was a rollercoaster of emotion for me:
* Thrilled by the portrayal of protagonist Starr Carter by the amazing Amandla Stenberg, who manages to imbue Starr with both the questing uncertainty of a teenager and the burgeoning maturity of the woman she is becoming.
* Gratified by the depiction of a loving, proud black family headed by a strong father who is a complicated, multilayered character. Regina Hall is effective as Starr's loving and protective mother, but Russell Hornsby as Starr's father Maverick, a former gang member who served an undeserved prison term for the local drug kingpin (Anthony Mackie) and now runs the local convenience store, is an absolute standout. You feel his love and pride in his family, his fierce determination that his children stand up for themselves, and his desperation and frustration at continued disrespect from law enforcement.
* Heartbroken by yet another senseless murder of a young black man, Starr's childhood friend and first crush Khalil, played by the engaging newcomer Algee Smith. This scene portraying their confrontation with police points up just how necessary it is for parents of color to have The Talk with their children.
* Outraged by the unwarranted brutality against black and brown people by police and the refusal by many police departments to hold officers accountable for them. However, I commend the film for not demonizing the character of the officer who shot Khalil, and for presenting the viewpoint of police in the character of Starr's uncle Carlos, played by Common, an officer who explains to her how in the same circumstance, he too would probably have shot her friend.
* Saddened that the youngest of us, the children, have to grow up in these times when they don't get to have a true childhood.
* Embarrassed and disappointed by the grip that gangs and drugs still have on our communities, though the economic cycle that forces many into crime is deftly explained in the film.
* Inspired to see another generation radicalized to action in the face of so much ongoing oppression, racial animosity, apathy, and violence. The character of local organizer April Ofrah, played by Issa Rae, is a reminder that we must be the change. It is when we give up that any hope for change diminishes. And Starr Carter represents that hope.
The Hate U Give makes sure to show a balanced picture, that not all cops are violent, and not all whites are clueless racists. The fact that these messages are also conveyed makes the film that much stronger. Some of the scenes toward the end are disturbing, as police attempt to quash a peaceful protest and young people are threatened with beatings, shootings, and fire.
The Hate U Give is not a feel-good movie. It's a powerful film that shows viewers the truth of black neighborhoods across this country in the era of #BlackLivesMatter. It's a movie about how one young girl gets woke, and by watching, hopefully we do too. And this makes it one of the most important films of the year.
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