This movie is really quite good! *La Haine* offers an engaging look at everyday life, and I found myself captivated throughout its roughly ninety-minute running time as it unfolded. Certain aspects of the camerawork (the black and white photography was a clever decision) and editing are especially noteworthy, while the conclusion leaves a powerful and lasting impression. The film’s purpose is communicated effectiv…

The performances aren't particularly remarkable on their own, but together they highlight the danger inherent in life within this Parisian suburban housing project. Disturbances the night prior have left the area feeling intensely strained. The police are acting cautiously, and the community feels primed to explode. Complicating matters further, a firearm was misplaced by an officer the previous evening, and one resi…

Matthieu Kassowitz’s *La Haine* (Hate) offers a look at what happens when young people feel shut out and angry, set in public housing outside of Paris. Prior to its release, many viewers internationally—and even some within France—were familiar only with the image of a well-dressed, white, reserved, and educated France seen in films from the 1960s New Wave. A lot of French people hadn’t been aware of the darker reali…