Angie Thomas’ book “The Hate U Give” became a best-seller nationwide for its honest, gripping and often funny portrait of a black girl struggling to find her voice after a personal loss. That book was fast-tracked into a movie, and now the first trailer for that movie starring Amandla Stenberg (THE DARKEST MINDS), Regina Hall (GIRLS TRIP), Anthony Mackie (AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR) is here. George Tillman Jr. (NOTORIOUS, FASTER) directs from a script by Audrey Wells (A DOG’S PURPOSE).
The story centers on a girl named Starr (Stenberg) who lives in two worlds: one in a poor, crime-ridden, mostly black neighborhood and the other at an expensive, mostly white high school. After her close childhood friend Khalil (Algee Smith) is gunned down by the police she struggles with finding her voice and speaking out as she faces conflicts on both sides.
The book is a fascinating and engaging read, and Thomas was able to make Starr’s journey so enlightening by making Starr herself such a relatable individual. Like any book adaptation, the film version of THE HATE U GIVE has a lot to juggle, but as long as the story stays focused on the central character, her journey and what makes the book special it should be a riveting flick…and one with several “Harry Potter” references.
THE HATE U GIVE with Amandla Stenberg, Regina Hall, Russell Hornsby, Algee Smith, Issa Rae, KJ Apa, Sabrina Carpenter, Common, and Anthony Mackie arrives October 19.