He uses freewheelingĪctor improvisations, caught in long, bumpy, mobile takes that have travelled Moves, kinetic editing and manic ticking clocks of Martin Scorsese. He is unafraid to convey his social themes by raidingĮvery one of this favourite cinematic styles.

Social critique, however, and really brings it alive is a certain intenseĮmotional identification on the filmmaker’s part with the outlaw, smashing-outĮnergy of these fine young delinquent heroes and heroines.īy Matthieu Kassovitz it’s his second feature after the comedy romance of Métisse (aka Café au lait, 1993). Social conscience or social concern entirely absent what complicates the Jean-Claude Brisseau’s Sound and Fury (1988) and Patricia Mazuy’s Travolta et moi (1994), or (from Australia, inĪ more punk vein) Going Down (1983). I’m thinking ofĮdge (1979) with Matt Dillon, or startling French movies such as Jagged kind of teen movie – the JD (juvenile delinquent) film. Other words, they’re the kind of figures familiar from a particularly vivid and See them stealing, breaking into cars, barging in on people and places, looking Into the Paris centre and back again, over the course of a day and night. These three are on a headlong, everyday adventure: from their suburb Socially determined energies: adrenalin, wild humour, and a desperation not toīe bored. Pumped-up – pumped with rage and frustration, naturally, but also with less Very interested in just following Vinz, Hubert & Saïd around. This happens because we, and the film, get That, for long and captivating stretches, it’s easy to lose track of its Sense of dread, social breakdown and imminent urban apocalypse. Wright special ( Romper Stomper or Metal Skin ), playing on an all-pervasive I think this is true of La Haine even when it goes bombastic and fatalistic like a Geoffrey It’s more vibrant and messier than any simple sociological schema –Īnd, in an intriguing way, resistant, rousing and life-affirming preciselyīecause of that chaos factor. This is not – I am very glad to report – a neat social-issue movie withĮmblematic characters, clearly marked conflicts, and wish-fulfilment

Groupings in angry alliance against the police “pigs”. There are three main characters – Vinz (Vincent Cassel), Hubert (Hubert Koundé)Īnd Saïd (Saïd Taghmaoui) – three youths who stand for these various social Multi-ethnic, mixing Jewish, Arabic and Algerian communities (among others). Suburban centre of France – a banlieue in the commune of Chanteloup-les-Vignes. Violent conflicts between police and the community in a horrid, rundown, Provocative energy, veering consistently between tasteless, vulgar glee and a Is a very compelling drama, remarkable on many levels.

Said la haine