Film Review: La Haine
L’important c’est pas la chute, c’est l’atterrisage. // How you fall doesn't matter. It's how you land.
La Haine is a modern French masterpiece by Mathieu Kassovitz, perhaps one of the greatest French films of all time and certainly one of my personal favorites. It’s gritty, unsettling, provocative, political, and visually stunning. The film has a unique, intentional narrative structure that works incredibly well, with every black-and-white frame flowing with life and raw energy.
The story is set in Paris and follows three young friends in the aftermath of a riot that erupts in a marginalized suburb. It explores the racial and cultural volatility in France, focusing on the low-income banlieue districts on the outskirts of Paris.
Even though it was released in 1995, La Haine remains as relevant today as it was back then. Vincent Cassel, Saïd Taghmaoui, and Hubert Koundé deliver hauntingly brilliant performances, making this film a powerful and unforgettable experience. Clearly inspired by filmmakers like François Truffaut, Jean-Luc Godard, Spike Lee, and Scorsese, Kassovitz has crafted a film that is both universal in its themes and specific in its cultural critique.
One of the most painful and unfortunate things for me as a cinéphile is knowing that I can never watch La Haine again for the very first time.
