It may slip into saccharine-sweet naiveté occasionally in terms of a commentary on racism in contemporary America, but The Hate U Give is nevertheless powerful and accessible.
High school student Amandla Stenberg witnesses the fatal shooting of childhood friend Khalil (Algee Smith) by a white cop – and now faces the public consequences of expectations placed on her to do the right thing for justice in spite of fears for her own safety.
A fine balance between coming-of-age and social commentary, director George Tillman Jnr may tie up all the loose ends a little too neatly, but The Hate U Give is a superior YA storyline that strives to be relevant and informative.
Rating: 73%
Director: George Tillman Jnr (Faster, Notorious)
Writer: Audrey Wells (Under the Tuscan Sun, Shall We Dance) – based on the novel by Angie Thomas
Main cast: Amandla Stenberg (The Darkest Minds, The Hunger Games), Algee Smith (Detroit, Earth to Echo), Regina Hall (Girls Trip, Death at a Funeral)
An Opinion or Two 