The Exposure of Various Social Issues in The Hate U Give

Critically acclaimed film director, George Tillman Jr. hit the ground running the day his film: “The Hate U Give” made it on the big screen. Based on the book, by best selling author, Angie Thomas, Tillman depicts the life of sixteen-year-old Starr Carter who finds herself continuously shifting between two worlds: a poor black neighborhood, Garden Heights, in which she lives and Williamson Prep, the rich white preparatory school she attends. Finding a balance between these two worlds was never easy, and the day she witnessed local law enforcement brutally kill her best childhood friend, Kahlil, the balance was forever lost. Quickly facing pressures from all sides of the community, Starr has to find her voice and stand up for what she believes is right. This mirrors today’s society in the authenticism of the racial inequities that occur each day on city streets to suburban shopping malls. Tillman argues that racial discrimination is what divides America. Carter’s ability to find her voice and take action are among many of the reasons this movie has made such an impact on its viewers. In today’s society, people of color continue to fall victim to gun violence, racial profiling, and racism despite efforts to educate individuals on the issues.

George Tillman Jr. uses different aspects of everyday life and incorporates this into the movie. “The Hate U Give,” is about Starr Carter’s, journey through life as she tries to discover who she is after her best friend Khalil was shot and killed by a police officer in front of her eyes. April Ofrah an activist, approaches Starr at Khalil’s funeral. Persuading her to take action against the police, and invites her to a rally in honor of Khalil. Starr tries to understand how the world can be so unjust as she protests throughout the movie. The society that we live in today has failed us. We continuously encounter racial discrimination daily. Tillman ensures that the viewer sees a different type of America when watching his work. Tillman wants to take the viewer onto the unbalanced scale of justice. By allowing the viewer to get close to the character Kahlil, and then brutally slaying him, the viewer, along with Starr, seeks some form of retribution. This retribution, however, does not come. From police shootings to racists comments, to underrepresentation, people of color deserve more than what this society gives to them. “The Hate U Give,” clearly reveals the unbalance of police brutality. The main goal of this film is to improve the Just Us for Justice movement. In the film, April Ofrah, an activist attorney, allows Starr the platform to speak up against injustice within her community. This is a pitch by Tillman to the black community to join movements such as Black Lives Matter to ensure their voices are heard. As New York Post film reviewer, Naomi Schaeffer Riley, is quick to point out though, this opinion is being given with minimal concern for statistical evidence, “in the coming years, (The Hate You Give) will inevitably become required reading in high schools and colleges across America. When that happens, students will get a kind of fictional confirmation of the narrative that they hear from the academic left, the media, and guilty white liberals about the racist country they inhabit.” (Riley) The film reaches many expenses of racism forms, and the main character Starr, hints some images of young black women. People of color are very underrepresented in Hollywood and everyday life, as well. This movie does what should have been done a long time again, hence the recognition this movie got, it incorporates a cast of diverse and speaks on issues that are current in our society, as mentioned above and following the further review, police brutality, racial profiling, and gun violence.

Gun violence is portrayed throughout the movie, with acts of cruel violence initiated by a gun. The catalyst for conflict within the film occurs during a traffic stop, Starr’s childhood best friend Khalil was shot when a police officer mistook a hairbrush for a gun. The film is Tillman’s indictment on white police officers for being so ready to pull the trigger against a black civilian. This act played out as Starr watches helplessly. This movie focuses heavily on gun violence and shows how some people have a constant fear against a race, resulted in a prejudice act of hate crime. According to ScootScoop.com, “It is not uncommon for people of color to be killed by cops, or people, in general, to die from mass shootings. Because this has become a normality, these topics are usually glossed over as just “another shooting,” and “The Hate U Give” is transparent about this reality.” (ScootScoop) George Tillman Jr spared no details of the shooting and the events that follow, to give the viewers a personal and real experience. Starr is working to abolish police brutality and racial discrimination. I can still very much connect to her willingness to fight for bettering this society.

Police brutality plays a significant role in the movie, aside from the senseless slaying of Khalil, Starr’s parents Maverick and Lisa, fear for their children’s lives due to their race. For instance, they give each of their kids “the talk” about how to act around a police officer and, more importantly, why the rage against a corrupt system exists so vehemently within each black American. Starr recalls, “Daddy once told me there’s a rage passed down to every black man from his ancestors, born the moment they couldn’t stop the slave masters from hurting their families. Daddy also said there’s nothing more dangerous than when that rage is activated.” For a person of color, this can be a matter of life or death to know how to behave in front of an officer. The siblings have been taught to surrender at the slightest glimpse of a police officer, and to state the Black Panthers Ten-Point Program, “we want an immediate end to police brutality and the murder of black people, other people of color, and oppressed people,” (Brody). These steps are necessary in a world that quickly assumes that black people are dangerous.

Racial profiling, gun violence, and police brutality are important subject matters that unfortunately have to be dealt with daily in today’s society. As explained, “The Hate U Give” was mainly deceitful acts of hate, that occurred throughout the movie. Racial profiling, gun violence, and police brutality are depicted when Starr witnessed an encountered with her friend being killed by a cop. Dealing with these controversial topics mentioned above, Starr’s whole life shifted her perspective and mentality towards cops, even her race. Tillman’s depiction of these social themes through Starr’s actions provide a thoroughly riveting ride and allow the viewer the chance, if they have not already had one, to see the world through a separate perspective.