“It can get real dangerous, so don't argue with them… Don't you ever forget that being black is an honor 'cause you come from greatness… Know your rights. Know your worth.” These powerful and passionate words from the highly successful drama/crime movie The Hate U Give leaves the audience tense and afraid, waiting to see what happens next. George Tillman Jr.’s The Hate U Give gives an honest and horrifying depiction of the life of Starr Carter (Amandla Stenberg), a black teenage girl, who deals with police brutality and gun violence after her childhood friend, Khalil Harris (Algee Smith) is murdered at the hands of a cop. Released in 2018, the movie has taken the world by storm, making $35,067,665 worldwide in the first year alone. The Hate U Give is a beautiful and haunting portrayal of controversial issues in today’s society through the lens of a young girl coming to terms with her voice and legacy. 

      The Hate U Give’s global appeal can be attributed to the extremely talented cast. Amandla Stenburg from Everything, Everything and The Hunger Games, stars in this film as Starr Carter. Stenburg’s sensational performance depicts the story of a girl who has to grow up too fast and brings her emotional journey to life with conviction and maturity, and takes us through her voyage as she discovers the answers to important questions. One can see the sadness, fear, and anger in her eyes as she watches her childhood best friend and first crush get murdered before her very eyes. Other amazing actors such as Riverdale’s K.J. Apa, and Tall Girl’s Sabrina Carpenter play vital roles in this movie, as Starr’s white boyfriend and best friend, respectively. The movie deals with many issues with interracial relationships, like the overused cliche “I don’t see color”, a line by her white boyfriend, to which Starr responds “If you don’t see color, then you don’t see me.”   

      However, the movie is an adaptation of the novel, and there are scenes the director and screenwriter changed to better fit the nature of a movie. The director decided to change the scene in which Khalil Harris, her best friend since childhood, gets killed. In the book, Khalil doesn’t reach into the car to brush his hair as a joke, as he does in the movie, but opens the door to see if Starr was okay. This changes the entire dynamic of the story. In the dark, it is conceivable and easy to see how the police officer mistakes the hairbrush for a gun. In the book, it becomes clear that the police officer fired without reason, while the movie gives the officer the benefit of the doubt. This event is crucial to the plotline, because the officer, according to her father (Russell Hornsby), only shot him not because his hairbrush handle looked “black enough” to be a gun, but because he was “black enough” to wield a weapon. This officer’s racist assumptions about black criminality change the course of the novel and movie significantly, so the scene should have been depicted accurately.

     The movie succeeds as a result of the amazing soundtrack and musical context. The Hate U Give is centered around the famous rapper Tupac Shakur’s lyrics from his song T.H.U.G.L.I.F.E. which stands for “The Hate You Give Little Infants F***s Everybody”. These lyrics showcase the overlooked fact that the hate society gives black people when they are young, comes back around when they are older and act out. Consequently, once they are older and are murdered for the color of their skin, the riots and pent up anger following hurts us all, no matter your race. The stellar soundtrack sets the mood and tone for the movie, and creates the perfect atmosphere for scenes. Kendrick Lamar's “DNA” plays in the background of a voiceover introducing Starr, and Billie Eilish’s “Ocean Eyes” is played as Starr’s love interest is introduced. Meaningful lyrics like Arlissa’s We Won’t Move” which says “Only thing stronger than hate is love/We need a change/...Won't be quiet anymore” paired with her poignant voice portray a lovely story that matches the sad yet ardent mood of the movie, leaving the audience changed.

       The Hate U Give has a strong message that needs to be told. The movie centers around the struggles of a young girl finding her voice, and learning to speak up for herself while others around her try to stop her from sharing the truth. Lead actress Amandla Stenburg says in an interview with POPSUGAR, “I hope they walk away with the reaffirmation that their voices matter and are important. That everyone else is going to try to police their voice so they shouldn't let anyone else convince them to police their own voice.” Stenburg talks to girls of color everywhere, assuring them that they have the right to speak up about what happens in their community. As a girl of color myself, I often have been targeted by racism, and have been inspired by this movie to speak up and share my story. Stenburg ends with one final passionate dream for the film, saying that “I hope that the racist pieces of s**t who continuously demonize and criminalize blackness… see it and are confronted with the reality of our humanity.” She, like I and many others, dream of a world where everyone’s voice is heard, one of equality for all.

      Moreover, The Hate U Give is an enthralling movie that illustrates the phrase “The Rose That Grew In Concrete” (Tupac) because of a main character that matures and doesn’t let her difficulties define her or stop her path to success, but learns from them.With its incandescent acting, sensational soundtrack, and relevant message, it truly draws the reader into the life and mind of Starr Carter as she discovers her voice and learns to fight for her liberty and those of people everywhere. Overall, The Hate U Give is a movie with a powerful Black Lives Matter aesthetic, and is an emotional rollercoaster that will leave you sobbing as you discover your inner activist.