Trayvon Martin. Tamir Rice. Sandra Bland. Eric Garner. Oscar Grant. Walter Scott. Freddie Gray. Alton Sterling. Michael Brown. Jordan Edwards. India Kager. Malissa Williams. Natasha McKenna. Rekia Boyd. Emmitt Till. Pac told us on his stomach that "The Hate U Give Little Infants F***s Everybody". What will the today’s youth give back to a society that has given them death, sadness and injustice?
The Hate U Give (adapted from the YA novel by Angie Thomas) follows the story of Starr Carter (Amandla Stenberg), a black teenager who lives two distinct lives: one in her poor, predominantly black neighborhood, and the other in her wealthy, predominately white, prep school. After witnessing the shooting death of her childhood friend Khalil (Algee Smith) by a white police officer, she must battle her fears, her friends, and her family to stand up for what she thinks is right.
Be prepared when you walk into the theater (because it should be seen IN THEATERS). This movie is very intense. Very powerful. A lot to take in for 2 hour and 15-minute experience. From the very first scene, The Hate U Give does not shy away from tackling the political issues that are running rampant in our country today. Whether you have personally been affected by police brutality, known someone who has, or have chosen not to think about something that doesn’t affect you, this is a must-see movie. The beauty in it is that it gives you a message that needs to be heard without beating you over the head with it. It shows every side of the discussion while firmly choosing what they see as the right one.
It does not preach. It does not lecture. This is a Young Adult movie first and foremost. It focuses on telling the story of a teenage girl going through something that happens way too often and is not nearly outrageous enough in this country. The narrative emphasizes how drastically it can affect every facet of one person’s life. It will shine a light on the best and worst of you and those around you. In the midst of telling Starr’s story, it warns and yells at everyone in the audience (no matter which aforementioned category above you fall into) that the killing of unarmed people of color by police is a new normal that has numbed the masses into treating it as a channel surfing option. Personalizing these effects adeptly brings home that message, and what is more harrowing is that almost everything you see on screen has been plucked from real life, no matter how Hollywood it may seem.
This heavy subject matter is handled deftly by great direction and honest performances. Director George Tillman Jr. mixes the demanding drama by inserting natural humor within endearing family moments and YA genre norms (teenage love and high school drama). The scene of Starr’s white boyfriend (K.J. Apa) meeting her imposing father (Russell Hornsby) is one of the sweetest of the movie. Regina Hall and Lamar Jackson bring depth and heart as Starr’s mother and brother. Anthony Mackie toes the line of caricature and menace as neighborhood drug lord, King. But it’s Hornsby and Stenberg that are the film’s standouts. Hornsby carries the weight of his entire family in his words, and Stenberg carries the weight of seeing her friend die in her eyes. She is powerful, heartbreaking, and inspirational all at once. It is a career-making role for Stenberg that shows she is more than just a YA movie regular.
The Hate U Give is necessary viewing, both as a statement on the current climate and a powerful tale told in cinematic form. The performances, the direction, the tone, and the theme all hit home to bring the audience into a contemplative and attention-grabbing story that doesn’t feel its run time. The Hate U Give gets 9/10 Harry Potter wands (The Wizarding World is undefeated in all neighborhoods).