Shot in earthy, rugged black and white, La Haine is cinema at the peak of its powers: commanding, muscular and ever-lasting. Roughly portraying 24 hours in the Parisian projects, Mathieu Kassovitz's rebellious crime drama follows the lives of three young men in the wake of a deeply violent riot which leaves a friend horrifically beaten whilst in police custody. Gathering a gun left at the crime scene, Jewish skinhead Vinz (Vincent Cassel) finds himself in a position to gain the hood's respect and vows to murder the cop if his beloved pal dies. Passionate in its storytelling but unflinching in its message, La Haine tackles racial tension and austerity with political, economical rage. Whilst using a teen crime saga as a facade, the film feels more like a statement piece for the people; an uprising, a voice. Kassovitz's thunderclap doesn't offer any solutions to such social issues, but it beautifully denotes the anger and frustration of people who feel trapped by their circumstances. It uses entertainment to project reality, and does so with crushing efficiency.
Film and UFC obsessive with a passion for scribbling words about them. Avid NFL fan and big Chelsea supporter too.
Film Studies degree graduate from the University of Brighton.