Review of La Haine (1995) by Joanna L — 08 Jun 2011

Bold, violent, provocative, La Haine is a remarkable, mesmerizing achievement, a raw punch in the face. Few other movies are this socially relevant, and if you want to learn something valuable, I suggest you watch this film. It was made in 1995, but has lost none of its strength. Writer/director Mathieu Kassovitz gives a very realistic look on everyday life, which isn't always a joy. Despite some really funny moments this black and white milestone of French movie industry remains a very serious, brutal, unflinching film. The bleak ending is just the definitive proof of what the entire movie is trying to teach us: hate and violence will only cause more violence (this aspect makes La Haine quite similar to Spike Lee's Do The Right Thing).

This movie should be shown to everyone, so that people can understand what doesn't work in our society.