La Haine

Twenty-four hours in the Paris projects: an Arab boy is critically wounded in hospital, gut-shot, and a police revolver has found its way into the hands of a young Jewish skinhead, Vinz (Cassel), who vows to even the score if his pal dies. Vinz hangs out with Hubert (Koundé) and Saïd (Taghmaoui). They razz each other about films, cartoons, nothing in particular, but always the gun hovers over them like a death sentence, the black-and-white focal point for all the hatred they meet with, and all they can give back.

This is virtuoso, on-the-edge stuff — Scorsese and Spike Lee seem obvious influences. Kassovitz (directing his second film) combats the inertia and boredom of his frustrated antagonists with a thrusting, jiving camera style which harries and punctuates their rambling, often very funny dialogue. The politics of the piece are confrontational, but there is a maturity and depth to the characterization which goes beyond mere agitprop: society may be on the point of self-combustion, but this film betrays no appetite for the explosion.

Staff Pick: Epiphany, Gabriel & Jana

Desperation gives the movie its exhausting energy, its speed-rapping intensity, hysterical, stoned hilarity and final heartbreak. It is not called Hate for nothing.

John Griffin, Montreal Gazette

Its raw and righteous exploration of class conflict, racial discrimination and police brutality remains gut-churningly relevant today.

Nick Levine, NME

Media Partner