The Hate U Give
4 stars
Director: George Tillman Jr.
Stars: Amandla Stenberg, Regina Hall, Russell Hornsby
Duration: 133 mins
Class: 12
KRS Releasing Ltd

An initial scene in The Hate U Give skilfully sets the scene for what is to come. Starr Carter (Amandla Stenberg) is having supper with her parents Maverick and Lisa (Russell Hornsby and Regina Hall) and her two brothers Seven and Sekani (Lamar Johnson and TJ Wright), when Maverick sombrely turns to his children to give them The Talk.

This is basically a set of instructions on how they should behave should they ever be stopped by the police for any reason.

The key message Maverick imparts to his children is ‘know your rights’. But he also teaches how to address officers, how to make sure their hands are visible etc.

It’s a difficult scene, made more so by the realisation that this is a ritual many black parents actually go through with their children in a country where, according to a database compiled by The Washington Post, 161 black people have been shot and killed by the police so far in 2018 alone.

The Hate U Give is based on the critically-acclaimed New York Times bestselling young adult novel of the same name by Angie Thomas. And it is the riveting and emotionally engaging coming-of-age tale of its protagonist Starr, who lives a reality many of us are only aware of via the news.

Starr is a bright intelligent young woman, who confesses to having two versions of herself. Version One is the one at home, home being in the rather poor, mostly black neighbourhood of Garden Heights.

Starr Version Two is the one who goes to the posh, mostly white, high school she and her brothers attend.

Understandably torn between the two worlds, Starr tries hard to ensure she is not ‘too white’ at home, or ‘too black’ in school. Things take a dramatic and tragic turn when her childhood best friend Khalil is shot dead by a police officer in front of her.

The only witness to the event, Starr is overwhelmed by events post-shooting and wants to remain anonymous. Encouraged by lawyer/activist April Ofrah (Issa Rae), Starr soon finds her voice to demand justice – while all too aware of the threat posed by local drug lord King (Anthony Mackie), whom Kahlil worked for.

The Hate U Give is a powerful story that takes audiences beyond the news headlines to examine the effects of these all-too-frequent police shootings on the community. Told as it is from the perspective of a young girl who is abruptly shaken out of her comfort zone, it adds some touching emotional resonance while making some strong, salient points about police brutality, racism and social justice as it works its way to its climax in a protest march which turns ugly.

It is raw, it is real, it is all-too-relevant and powerful enough to undoubtedly compel many (white) viewers to rethink their innate prejudices – vide Starr’s schoolfriends almost instinctive swiftness to blame the victim of the police shooting, while simultaneously keen to jump on the protest bandwagon.

So much so, that Starr soon begins to feel alienated from her school friends, and her (white) sympathetic boyfriend Chris (K. J. Apa). Furthermore, the events spark in Starr a crisis of self-identity, and what it means for her to be black in this day and age.

The script, adapted from the book by Audrey Wells, tells its story with righteous anger and lots of heart but is never, ever preachy. The richly-drawn authentic and nuanced characters effortlessly make an impact thanks, in no small part, to the uniformly excellent characters on display.

Stenberg is a revelation in an ensemble that does not hit a bum note. The young actor showed some potential in the recent The Darkest Minds, but there she was hampered by a thin script and wooden dialogue.

Here she shines, embodying the role of Starr with supreme self-assurance and skill. Her transformation from the confidence she exudes at home into the introverted person she becomes at school, keen to blend in, is authentic; and witnessing her happy-go-lucky outlook be so irreversibly shattered is truly affecting. It is an astonishing performance and one that will stay with you long after the credits roll.

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