On its 30th Anniversary, Richard Tobin reflects on La Haine, a tense socio-political drama that still feels as relevant today as it did thirty years ago
I was walking through town when I stopped in Centra. Inside, a woman was berating the staff. She left, before coming back 30 seconds later to have another go at them, using lots of harmful language. This was racing through my mind as I went into the screening of La Haine (1995). Though these actions remain untenable, it can be difficult to imagine that anyone would actively strive to end up in a position to be so full of hate and anger at the world. La Haine was the perfect movie to watch after this - it doesn’t have the answers to these questions but it presents the question that was on my mind in such a moving, realistic and authentic way.
La Haine is a black and white French film that follows a tense 24 hours in the lives of 3 young men Vinz (Vincent Cassel), Saïd (Saïd Taghmaoui), and Hubert (Hubert Koundé) as they navigate living in a Parisian suburb after a violent riot erupts in response to police brutality involving one of their friends, Abdel. As anger and frustration boil over, the trio roam the city, grappling with poverty, racism and their own identities. Vinz, misguidedly seeking revenge, finds a lost police gun and sets off a dangerous chain of events.
Vinz, Saïd and Hubert are the core of this film and it is through their perspectives on the world that the film questions how such hate develops in people. All of the characters keep the names of the actors playing them, which adds another layer of realism. We’re introduced to Saïd first in the film, a kind of middle ground between Vinz and Hubert. He has the immaturity and lack of life experience that Vinz has but also has the level-headedness of Hubert. Saïd is stuck in this weird, No Man’s Land, constantly trying to keep the peace between his two friends while just trying to get by. Vinz is angry at the world, thinking that he knows it all and wants to prove himself by murdering a cop and taking his pain out on the world, a tit for tat act of retribution in his mind.
The film shows how hatred grows and how everyone is susceptible to it- even our main characters who are protesting against the racist acts of the police
However, the film is constantly hinting at how Vinz isn't as assured of himself as he may think he is. Hubert (Hubert Koundé) is friends with Vinz and Saïd but doesn’t live the same lifestyle, instead preferring to be a bit more disciplined and focus on boxing in the gym. He’s just trying to live every day and get by, desperately wanting to get out of the world he lives in. He disapproves of how Vinz has reacted to the ongoing riots- the only common thread at the time between these three characters is their love of smoking a joint and trying to escape the pains in their lives. Our three main characters don’t stay the same throughout the tumultuous 24 hours and seeing their perspective on the world change is what makes the film so fascinating and moving.
La Haine is a masterclass in creating tension. Matthieu Kassovitz’ film races by at 98 mins and is a perfect exercise in keeping only what works. This is not to say the film doesn’t have time to breathe- the film dedicates a lot of time to characters hanging out and bantering but it’s the way in which it is presented which makes it feel so impactful. Everything in the film feels so real- there’s nothing fake or unnecessary in its runtime, instead being fully dedicated to capturing life and how it is for our characters. These moments make the tense, stressful moments (of which there are many) feel even more anxiety inducing.
In an introduction before the screening, an interesting fact was mentioned about how French Prime Minister Alain Juppé asked for the film to be seen by government officials and members. I’d love if this was a policy around the world that still happened today. While the film is from the 90s, the issues it discusses and the way it captures the roots of these problems is scarily relevant today. Kassovitz’ film has a really cool, unique style and is so well directed but ultimately, it’s the way that the film explores its issues is what left me in complete silence finishing the film.
The film shows how hatred grows and how everyone is susceptible to it- even our main characters who are protesting against the racist acts of the police are themselves pretty disgustingly racist to a shopkeeper in their local supermarket. Hate in this film is like a silently lethal polluter, ruining the lives of the characters through it and we see the devastating impacts it has again and again throughout the film.