Starting from today, we will be starting a “movie to watch this weekend“. The series will showcase the movie(s) we have found interesting. If there is any movies you want us to review, please get in touch. Our “movie to watch this weekend” for this week is “The Hate U Give“.
Movie To Watch This Weekend: “The Hate U Give”
“The Hate U Give” is based on Angie Thomas’ award-winning book about Starr Carter (Amandla Stenberg), a black teen who witnesses the fatal police shooting of a close friend. “The Hate U Give” deals frankly and powerfully with race and racism. It also addresses the tension between the police and the communities they are supposed to serve and protect. In addition, the movie reveals the differences between teens growing up in predominantly African American neighborhoods and those from affluent white neighborhoods.
The movie opens with Starr’s recollection of “the talk” that her father, Maverick (Russell Hornsby), gave her and her two siblings about how to behave if stopped by a police officer. As an African American living in US, the talk was very necessary.
In this movie, Starr Carter constantly switched between two worlds: the poor, mostly black, neighborhood where she lived and the rich, mostly white, prep school she attended. The uneasy balance between these worlds was shattered when Starr witnessed the fatal shooting of a childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer.
Starr’s Childhood Friend Killed
After a gun went off at a party Starr attended, Khalil, Starr’s childhood best friend, offered to drive her home. While driving home, a police officer stopped Khalil for failing to signal a lane change. Khalil reached for his hairbrush in his car but the officer claimed he believed he saw a gun, and shot Khalil dead.
The killing of Khalil became major local news and was widely reported on television. Starr’s family concealed her identity as the main witness from everyone outside Starr’s family. However, having to keep this secret weighs on Starr, as did her need to keep her Williamson and Garden Heights personas separate. In order to ensure justice, Starr gave a television interview and testified in front of a grand jury when . After a grand jury did not indict the officer, there was both peaceful protests and riots in the neighborhood.
If you are looking for a movie to watch this weekend, “The Hate U Give” should be on your list. “The Hate U Give” is the rare movie that puts the background into the foreground. It integrates its characters’ personal struggles with a clearly observed political and historical environment.
The Hate U Give: The Main Character
The main character in the movie was Starr Carter. Starr was a 16-year-old American girl who lived in a black neighborhood but attended a predominantly white private school. Starr put forward two versions of herself in the movie. Version One was her in her own neighborhood, and Version Two, which she put forward in her school in order not to be considered “ghetto.”
The Hate U Give: Official Trailer
If you are still not sure that the movie is for you, see the trailer below.
The Hate U Give: Where To Watch It
The movie is currently available on the following platforms:
- Amazon Prime Video: It cost CAD 4.99 to rent the HD version but if you have HBO subscription, it is already included.
- Crave TV: This comes free with Crave TV subscription
- Cineplex: If you have the Cineplex app on your mobile phone or your TV, you can rent or buy this movie.
- The movie
If you watched this movie on any other platform not listed above, kindly share in the comment section.
Featured Post Image Credit: People
thanks for sharing. This is definitely a must watch movie especially during this season.
Have you been able to watch the movie? Please share your view if / when you watch it.
I have watched the movie. I believe everyone should watch it. There are lessons for everyone living in North America especially how to build up the confidence of your children.