The Hate U Give is an adaptation of a YA novel written by Angie Thomas, but standing out from other Young Adult fiction dealing with societal problems while coming of age, the inspiration for this film comes from a rather surprising source.
A divisive figure in contemporary hip-hop, Tupac Shakur and his activism in support of the black rights movement is the driving force behind this big screen adaptation. Regarded as a visionary and disruptor of societal norms, Thomas found inspiration in his infamous acronym, “T.H.U.G. L.I.F.E.”, which has a much deeper meaning than literal “Thug Life”. The saying stands for “The Hate U Give Little Infants Fucks Everyone,” meaning, how society treats its children will be a direct reflection on how they treat society when they come of age. This is where the story of The Hate U Give begins.
Starr Carter (Amandla Stenberg) is a high school teen stuck between two worlds. At her home in Garden Heights, a rough and predominantly black neighborhood littered with drugs and gangs, she is seen as an outsider. At her private high school in the wealthier and white part of town, she is seen as a diversity statistic. Despite her personal struggles, the support from her family never falters. From a young age, her father (Russell Hornsby) always told her about the power and pride she and her brothers should feel as a young black person in America, despite the injustice their people face every day. When Starr witnesses the shooting death of her unarmed best friend Khalil (Algee Smith) by a white police officer, her world is turned upside down.
As the only witness to Khalil’s wrongful death, Starr feels pressure from the community and social justice worker April Ofrah (Issa Rae) to testify against the officer in court. Starr’s mother (Regina Hall) wants Starr kept of the spotlight to prevent unsolicited attention, especially from local gang lord leader, King (Anthony Mackie). Add to this, Starr’s ignorant high school friends who see attending a Black Lives Matter rally as a great excuse to cut chemistry class. Struggling to make sense of her new normal, Starr is faced with a life-changing decision: stay quiet and let life pass her by, or stand up and speak her truth.
‘The Hate U Give’ is a heartbreaking and emotionally taxing account of one young African American woman’s struggle to fit in and the burden she carries as a result.
Amandla Stenberg gives a groundbreaking and emotionally stirring performance as the young protagonist, Starr. In nearly every scene, tears stream down Stenberg’s face and we can’t help but feel our hearts break along with hers. Her range as an actor is on full display as she brings life and powerful charisma to every moment. Equally as affecting is Russell Hornsby’s performance as her protective father. His tough exterior protects his gentle heart as he puts his family’s well-being above his own, claiming that family is the only people he lives and dies for.
The Hate U Give is hard to watch, especially being a white woman who is critically aware of being in the fortunate position of not being faced with violence and a cultural identity crisis on the daily. Just being female in a male-oriented world can come with its own set of restraints and hurdles. In this case, director George Tillman Jr.’s exposé is an eye-opening account of an all too familiar scenario, and just because we may not like what we see, doesn’t mean we should turn away and pretend it’s not happening. To that point, I hope The Hate U Give is able to expand its reach beyond its target audience of young people of color, and land on the radars of varied ethnicities and ages. To the African American community, The Hate U Give is just preaching to the choir… this is the type of film that everyone would benefit from seeing.
A timely conversation centering around the Black Lives Matter movement and the injustice of racial profiling within law enforcement and beyond, The Hate U Give is a heartbreaking and emotionally taxing account of one young African American woman’s struggle to fit in and the burden she carries as a result.
‘The Hate U Give’ is rated PG-13 for mature thematic elements, some violent content, drug material, and language. 132 minutes. Now playing in select theaters, including ArcLight Hollywood and AMC theaters and expanding everywhere Friday, October 19th.
