Spoilers ahead. Although, this film is 25 years old, so don't blame me!
The film study in French is possibly the one part of my A-Levels I've been looking forward to the most, and La Haine, which we finished just hours before I started writing this blog post, certainly lived up to my expectations. Only an hour and thirty minutes in length, it still manages to be one of the films that has had the most impact on me. In all the time since we started watching it at the start of the week, I've been consumed by it. It's become clear to me why exactly people raved about it 25 years ago, and why people on Letterboxd are still as enthralled by it today. La Haine is a masterpiece.
Set mostly across the backdrop of the banlieus of Paris, Mathieu Kassovitz wrote the ending of his most famous film within days of the murder of a young man in Paris, at the hands of a police officer. The anger the director felt (and still feels now- when his film is more relevant than ever) is conveyed to you in the way the ending hits you like a sucker punch to the gut. Now, I don't want to spoil it, but my entire French class were completely taken aback, and yet it couldn't have made more sense.
The film itself is made up of several distinct sections, altogether spanning 24 hours, and the story begins with footage of real riots, and a news reporter relaying the story of Abdel Ichacha, who has been attacked by police and currently lies in a coma. Three of his friends, Vinz, Saïd, and Hubert- all ethnic minorities, each play an important role in humanising the story of the copious 'bavures policières' that were sweeping through the country at that time.
Vinz, the aggressor, is the main driving force behind the entire thing: he steals the gun and it is Vinz who makes the pledge that he will kill a police officer if their friend dies. Vinz lacks a paternal figure in his life (a trait shared by Hub, although it manifests differently there) which can be seen through his confrontational nature and his desire to constantly be in trouble. Hubert also lacks a paternal figure, however his character acts as the voice of reason, who only tries to protect his friends throughout the twenty four hours. In a way, despite their similarities, Hubert acts as a foil to Vinz; throughout, he lectures him and refuses to join in with his political scheme. Lastly, is Saïd, constantly caught in the middle between the other two. He is physically the smallest, but makes up for this through his comic relief and ability to defuse his friends.
The three of them are representative of 'La Racaille' everywhere- and both the fashion that has cycled its way back into modern trends, and the black and white colouring of the film help to solidify the message that this can, and does, happen everywhere and at any time. La Haine is timeless.
Mathieu Kassovitz shows this timelessness in other way, particularly the structure. The film is incredibly cyclical and there are a few scenes that are almost repeated. Most notably, is Vinz and his gun fingers. In the beginning, he stands in front of a mirror and performs a monologue, pointing his imaginary gun at his own reflection. In one of the last sections, he repeats this action, although in a much darker context. Another example of this transformation into darkness, in a scene where the three of them are running away from the police, Hub squeezes his eyes shut as though he wishes it was all a dream, reflective of his repeated desire to escape the suburbs. At the very end, Saïd repeats this facial movement- showing the sharp turn that the story has taken.
And, perhaps most obvious of all, is the film both starting and ending with Hub's monologue- repeated practically word for word. It truly brings the story full circle, and it hits the audience how rapidly all of this has taken place, providing the dizzying impact of the final plot twist.
Although the film is only 90 minutes, spanning only one day, Mathieu Kassovitz focuses constantly on the three main characters- with several close up shots of each, forcing his audience to collude with them (in a manner similar to the many monologues of Shakespeare's King Richard III) and to slowly come to care for these characters- even Vinz, who's not the most likeable of people and even despite the incredible crassness of the boys.
Overall, this piece of social realism has become perhaps my favourite film of all time. With the seamless way it blends comedy and grit, it weaves its way into the watcher's heart and stays there for a long time.
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