La Haine

Matthieu Kassowitz's <i>La Haine</i> (Hate) is a portrait of youth disenfranchisement and the ensuing rage set in the public housing projects outside Paris. Before this film was released, many foreign viewers knew only the well-dressed, white, reserved and educated France depicted in e.g. films of the 1960s New Wave. Even many French people were unaware of the darker undercurrents of their own society, as no film had dared to handle this subject matter before. <i>La Haine</i> was a bombshell. Wh…

CinemaSerf

August 27, 2023

7/10

It's not so much the individual acting with this that stands out, it is the collective effort of all concerned to demonstrate to us just how perilous life can be on their Parisian suburban housing estate. Riots the evening before we arrive on the scene have left the area in a state of almost acute nervous exhaustion. The police are treading on egg shells and the community is a tinder box. To add to the volatility, a police officer lost his gun the night before and one of the locals "Vinz" (Vince…

r96sk

September 17, 2024

8/10

Very, very good movie! <em>'La Haine'</em> is interesting slice of life viewing, I was intrigued across the whole 90 or so minutes as it tells its tale nicely. Some of the cinematography (b/w, smart choice) and editing is particularly impressive, while the ending is stark and unforgettable. The intentions of the film come across loud and clear. I didn't overly connect with the main trio, aside from Hubert. I could also sense that something was on the horizon (didn't see it going exactly th…