The Hate U Give

Starring: Amanda Stenberg, Regina Hall, Russell Hornsby Anthony Mackie, Issa Rae, Common, Algee Smith, Sabrina Carpnter, K.J. Apa, Lamar Johnson, Dominique Fishback
Directed by: George Tillman, Jr.
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Drama
2018

Times Seen:
Tim: 1


Summary: A girl (Amanda Stenberg) witnesses the murder of her unarmed friend by a white police officer. She is torn between testifying as a witness and protecting her family from the media and community scrutiny.

Review:

Tim: The Hate U Give feels like a very timely movie. It addresses a tragedy that has been in the news all too often the last several years- an unarmed black man being shot to death by white police officers. Although this is a hotly contested issue in some areas of the country, it shocks me that anyone could look at the statistics or listen to the stories and think this isn't an issue. You could debate how racially motivated these killings are (the answer is obviously more than zero), but regardless of how much race factors into it, this is a serious issue for Americans of all races. We cannot stand by while unarmed citizens are killed and the police officers responsible walk free. I have no doubt that officers are under incredible stress when they interact with people- you never know who is going to pull out a gun. I understand the human desire to protect yourself, but we need to find a solution to this. The Hate U Give doesn't offer solutions, but it shines a light on this. It puts faces and names and emotions to what we see on the news. For that reason, this movie is worth seeing.

It also helps that director George Tillman Jr. crafts an entertaining, well made movie. I feel like the film doesn't quite reach greatness, but it's absolutely effective and thought-provoking. It introduces us to memorable characters that we grow to care about. Starr, Seven, Khalil- these characters mean something to us. Starr is a worthwhile protagonist- she's strong, yet suffers from straddling two different worlds and two different cultures. Her journey, and that of the supporting characters around her is one worth taking.

I was impressed with Amanda Stenberg's performance. While to some extent, she'll always be Rue to me, this was a strong performance that won't be easily forgotten. I was less than enthused by her performance in The Darkest Minds, so this was a good reminder that with a worthwhile part and effective direction, she can harness her talent well. She's one of the big strengths of this film. However, the movie doesn't all rest on her shoulders. This film featured a surprisingly strong supporting cast. There might not be a bunch of recognizable names, but the supporting players were so crucial for this film. Regina Hall have a good performance as Starr's mother. Russell Hornsby gave a powerful performance, one of the best of the film. He was definitely a standout in a strong supporting role. I thought Anthony Mackie was solid in a supporting role that was different from the kind of roles he's been playing lately. He wasn't quite menacing or memorable enough, but he was effective. I also have to give Algee Smith a great deal of credit. He doesn't get a ton of screen time as Kahlil, but he leverages every second of it. The impact he makes on this film is immeasurable. He's a big reason for the many emotions we experience.

While The Hate U Give is a difficult movie to watch, it's an important one. It tackles a timely issue that has repeatedly ended in tragic results. The day after I watched this film, I saw an article headline about two white police officers who walked away with no charges after shooting an unarmed black man. The timeliness of this is unsettling. The movie does a good job of its portrayal of these events. It takes a more nuanced look. It certainly is unflinching in condemning the "shoot first" mentality of some police officers and it doesn't shy away from showing the human impact these senseless murders have. However, it's careful not to paint this purely as a race issue. This isn't black vs. white- it's much more complicated than that. Bringing in Tupac was a great move, especially as he was so influential for this film, its title, and on thousands and thousands of people.

This is a movie I would unhesitatingly recommend. It's a timely movie that examines an unsavory aspect of modern American society. It puts faces and names to events that we see in the newspapers and online. It's a reminder that innocent people are losing their lives in this country. And, even if they aren't completely "innocent" (like Kahlil) that doesn't justify their murder. I don't have any answers, but I'd highly recommend the enlightening, challenging The Hate U Give.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating- 7.5



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