The Hate U Give Review
By, Julia Keegan
Starr Carter witnesses her friend killed unjustly by a police officer just because of the color of his skin. Starr then has to come to terms with the double life she has been living. One that is in Garden Heights, a poor black neighborhood, and another at Williamstown Prep, a wealthy suburban prep school. After witnessing this racial injustice, Starr is brought to the decision to either let the cop get away with this racism or speak up for herself and her family.
The Hate U Give puts you in the perspective of Starr Carter, played by Amandla Stenberg, who is a African American teen living in the 21st century. As you watch the film, you adapt the frustration and fear that Starr has, as you watch her deal with racism in her school and the drug lord in her neighborhood. The way George Tillman Jr. puts together this film, based off the popular book by Angie Thomas, starts the conversation for the next generation to talk about the issue of the racial caste system.
The young cast that plays the teenagers of this film bring those young adults to the theater, including Riverdale star, KJ Apa, and Former Disney star, Sabrina Carpenter. They all contribute an amazing performance. KJ playing Starr’s boyfriend, Chris, who attends Williamstown Prep with her, works as an ally to Starr and her family rather than judging them. On the other hand is Sabrina Carpenter’s character, Haley, who sympathizes with the cop and is at times, unknowingly to herself, racist. Both of these characters can be people in today’s world, and it is important to mirror these two kind of people to lead as an example of what to do and what not to do.
Amandla Stenberg gives an Oscar Worthy performance. There has been minor buzz of any nomination for this movie. But I believe that the message, acting, and the whole movie itself should be considered. Even though this is a movie targeted for young adults, everyone needs to live throw Starr’s story because it teaches about the perspective of a young African American women, which is underrepresented in media today.
If you are wanting to see this movie without spoilers, Stop Reading!!
There is a moment in the movie that may be one of the most powerful scenes in a film of the year. Near the end, there is a moment of confrontation between the Carter Family, King, the drug lord, who is played by Marvel actor Anthony Mackie, and the police. King and Maverick Carter, the ex-drug lord and father of Starr, go to shoot as each other, but Maverick does not have his gun. The youngest Carter son, who is eight years old, has the gun pointed between King and the two police officers. This moment makes your heart stop. I was expecting for the officers to shoot the young boy, and they might’ve of if Starr didn’t stand in front of her brother with her hands up. The moment alone has the power and message of the movie summed up that: The Hate U Give Young Infants Fs Everybody. This means society makes villains out of young African Americans before they even do anything wrong.
This movie is similar to the 2018 movie, Love, Simon, in the fact that this story needed to be told and shared with the world. George Tillman Jr makes an amazing movie, which is one that is a must watch!