Ashtyn Britt
abritt@lc.edu

If you only watch one film this year, let it be The Hate U Give. As a huge lover of the book with the same name, I had worries about things being portrayed incorrectly and ruining what made the book so powerful. For the first time, I don’t mind the differences between the book and the movie.

This follows the story of Starr Carter, a young woman of color who must balance her home life with other people of color in comparison with her school life including Caucasian classmates.

Starr gives an interesting and powerful insight about how she has to adjust her behavior in both environments, and her struggle at times to do so.

However, Starr’s world comes crashing when she witnesses her childhood friend be shot and killed by a policeman despite posing no threat. Now, she has to decide whether or not to speak out and face the aftermath of everything that will come with doing so.

This movie shows a shockingly accurate depiction of a horrible situation that happens far too often and allows people of all races at least a glimpse into the types of issues people of color struggle with. The movie is passionate, insightful, educational, and raw in a way I haven’t seen in some time.

The acting is also superb and depicted so well that I’d argue Amandla Stenberg deserves an Oscar for her performance as Starr. She knows how to convey emotions in a realistic way, and truly draws the audience in to feel how she is feeling. As I watched the film, I thought of the book I’d grown to love, and couldn’t help but think to myself that the producers truly cast this movie perfectly.

For anyone looking for a life-changing movie, The Hate U Give is the film for you!