Movie · 2018 · Crime, Drama · 2h 13m · PG-13 · English
Curator score: 6.9/10 (184K ratings)
Two worlds. One voice. No going back.
Overview
Raised in a poverty-stricken slum, a 16-year-old girl named Starr now attends a suburban prep school. After she witnesses a police officer shoot her unarmed best friend, she's torn between her two very different worlds as she tries to speak her truth.
Ratings
Curator score: 6.9/10
IMDb: 7.5/10
Letterboxd: 3.69/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 97%
Metacritic: 81
TMDB: 8.1/10
Director
George Tillman Jr.
Production
Temple Hill Entertainment
Cast
Amandla Stenberg, Regina Hall, Russell Hornsby, KJ Apa, Common, Anthony Mackie, Algee Smith, Lamar Johnson, Issa Rae, Sabrina Carpenter, TJ Wright, Dominique Fishback, Megan Lawless, Tony Vaughn, Karan Kendrick, Susan Santiago, Rayven Symone Ferrell, Marcia Wright, Drew Starkey, Dustin Lewis
Curator Review
Verdict
A powerful, emotionally direct drama that turns a personal coming-of-age story into a clear-eyed look at race, code-switching, grief, and police violence. It’s not subtle, but it is urgent, accessible, and strongly acted.
Best for
viewers who want socially conscious drama with a teen perspective
fans of emotionally charged, issue-driven storytelling
audiences looking for a strong lead performance and discussion-worthy material
book-to-film adaptations that stay focused on character and message
Skip if
you want a low-key or purely entertainment-first movie
you’re sensitive to depictions of police violence and racial trauma
you prefer understated, ambiguous dramas over direct advocacy
you dislike YA framing or didactic storytelling
Overview
The Hate U Give is built like a pressure cooker: a teen’s ordinary life is split open by a single act of violence, and the film tracks how that rupture spreads through family, school, neighborhood, and self-image. It works best as a character study of Starr, whose need to speak honestly collides with the survival habits she has learned in two different worlds.
Worth noting
The movie is plainly activist in purpose, but it earns much of its force through performance and emotional clarity rather than speeches alone. Amandla Stenberg carries the film with intelligence and restraint, while the supporting cast gives the story a lived-in sense of community and fear.
Bottom line
Its biggest strength is accessibility: it translates a hard subject into a mainstream drama that can reach viewers who might otherwise avoid the topic. Some scenes are broad and the structure is familiar, but the film’s sincerity, urgency, and cultural relevance make it an easy recommendation for most audiences.
Top Letterboxd reviews
Paddy (5★) · 2036 likes
“It’s the same story, just a different name”
Freddie GraySam DubosePhilando CastileTerence CrutcherAlton SterlingJamar ClarkBreonna TaylorRayshard Brooks George FloydJeremy McDoleTamir RiceMichael BrownEric Garner...
The list goes on... this is why they kneel... I was crying the whole damn movie (no, I’m not over exaggerating... this movie brought me to tears for its entire 2+ hour run time). Strong performances by Amandla Stenberg and Russell Hornsby... THIS IS AMERICA
“It is impossible to be unarmed, when our blackness is the weapon that they fear”
Lists2018: Ranked
bella (4★) · 1168 likes
Not to be dramatic but this should replace the entire history curriculum in high schools all over the world.
Cameron Kanachki (5★) · 991 likes
It’s well-acted, well-made, & well-written, showing that YA novel adaptations can be more than just romance & dystopias. ACAB.
Ethan ☔️ · 605 likes
Dear KJ Appa,
This is not Riverdale,
You are allowed to act,
PLEASE try to act
You’re better than this,
At least, I think so
-E
mima 🌙 (4★) · 551 likes
“Violence, brutality. It’s the same story, just a different name.”