The Hate U Give– A Movie Review
Based off of the book written by Angie Thomas, The Hate U Give was made into a film production released on Oct. 5 of this year. Produced by George Tillman Jr., the story tackles disturbing topics surrounding police brutality, being black in America, code switching, and balancing worlds between cultures. Tillman did a great job developing the plot of the movie, showcasing amazing talent, and bringing deep-rooted issues in our country to light.
I’m sure many of us have heard our mother say how important it is to read the book prior to watching the movie rendition of it. In this instance, I did not take my mother’s advice and saw the movie first! Nonetheless, the book has outstanding reviews on GoodReads with 4.6/5 stars. Similarly, the movie already has a Rotten Tomatoes rating of 96% on the site, after being released only four weeks ago.
I went with a wonderful group from my school to see the movie, and I can tell you that we laughed, cried, and gasped throughout the movie. Starr’s coming-of-age story is one that many of us can relate to. The idea that as teenagers we need to change the essence of our being to fit in, to be accepted by others is something I’m sure all of us have felt at some point, but of course this is not all there is to Starr’s story. Starr is stuck between her preppy life at a primarily white school and her life at home– a majority African-American neighborhood. After Starr is the sole witness to the shooting of her childhood friend, Khalil, the rest of the movie walks us along the journey to Starr not only finding her voice but becoming an advocate for what she believes in. I appreciated the fact that Thomas was not afraid to speak out on the harsh reality of police brutality and how these horrific events affect the families whose loved one has been murdered was powerful. These issues need to be spoken about from all perspectives, not just those that you see in the news. Tillman was able to emphasize these issues all the while sprinkling in humor, love, and surprises that kept the audience hopeful.
For anyone who is considering going out to watch the movie…just do it! You will not regret purchasing a ticket (even though forking out the $10 for your ticket is so painful!)
Peak Student Media 