Review of La Haine (1995) by Justin F — 24 May 2011

A good film with an interesting premise but its no more than that in my opinion. Having spent a lot of my youth on a South London council estate I just couldnt relate to some of the scenes contained in La Haine (except for maybe the riots). However, some of the scenes undoubtedly hit the bullseye and you have to bear in mind the low budget.

Vinz, Said & Hubert are three friends with very different backgrounds. Each have a different ethnicity and religion and are brought into conflict with each other the day after a riot took place on the estate where they live between local youths and the police. During the battle one of their friends is badly beaten by the authorities and is close to death in hospital. Also, during the fight a gun belonging to one of the Policemen disappears and one of the three know of its whereabouts. The three friends go through a series of events and brushes with the law and racist rival gangs.

I liked the way in which the three friends connected with each other. They are fiercely loyal and each accepts the other for who they are rather than what they are. I guess its an example of how race and religion only seem to matter as people get older and more cynical or maybe its that as we travel through life we are influenced by those who wish to fill our heads with prejudice and hatred? The style of the film is very how shall I say....chic. Being shot in black and white really adds to the overall flavour and its easy to forget that this was filmed on a minimal budget. Certain scenes though, I just couldn't accept. Chiefly being scenes where these toughened kids recited poetry to each other and talked about life in a way that I felt didn't fit into the rest of the film. There is also a scene where the three end up at an art exhibition and I also didn't think it belonged in a story with such a hard edge to it. Then again, what do I know, maybe its possible that the feral youth of France attend such events and have such philosophical conversations?