The Hate U Give, Miss Higgi's Review...

Last night I hosted a private viewing and community talk back about the movie, The Hate U Give. Of course I had seen the previews. I even got to see clips and hear the Director, George Tillman, and lead male actor, Russell Hornsby, talk about the film at the Martha Vineyard African American Film Festival (MVAAFF) in August. But nothing can prepare you for the depth of the movie nor the discussion that followed.

In preparation so to guide the discussion, I saw the movie in advance on last Friday. I was emotionally spent for at least 3 to 4 hours after leaving the theater. I saw it alone. I needed to debrief as apparently did many other moviegoers on that Friday afternoon in Harlem. During the movie, strangers us all, cried at the screen, cursed at the screen and even cheered at the screen. Emotions covered the gamut; fear, anger, sadness, pride. You name it. Following the movie as we exited the theater, strangers still, some of us talked about the movie, our impressions and our feelings. All of us vowed that we would encourage others to see the film. Last night I did just that...

Just over 150 people showed up at the theater to watch and engage in discussion about the movie. Not surprisingly, most stayed for the discussion that followed and were so full that they could have spoken for much longer if we had more time to use the theater space, which tells me that we NEED an "US" space for discussions amongst US, about US...

The film however, is a film for everyone. The messages in the movie are intersectional and provocative. The obvious is a young Black girl straddling the reality of living in two worlds struggling to find, stand in and claim her dignity and her identity in both places. We have all been there. I once heard a Black sociologist say that to be Black in America requires that one be a skillful and purposeful "paranoid schizophrenic". I will add "resourceful". On queue, an immediate and instinctual role change or "code switch" may be required to successfully stay afloat and/or navigate between the two worlds. That was back in the 80's. Still, we are schizophrenic... Still, we straddle... But that our children, among so many other life lessons, have to also learn to straddle just to survive, when most other children are merely concerned with only the business of being children, is quite sad...

Last night, a grandmother spoke on lessons of survival she has had to teach her grandchildren. Students who attend PWI (Predominantly White Institutions - the answer to HBCU) schools, secondary as in the movie and/or collegiate, spoke to their experiences and offered strength and words of wisdom, encouragement and enlightenment to others in the audience who are similarly situated and their parents.

There was lots of discussion about the strength of the characters; the strong Black man supported by the strong Black woman and how they were undefeated when they offered balance to one another. This dynamic is more prevalent in our community than we realize or celebrate...

Young men caught up in the juvenile detention system were in attendance. They shared their struggle with us and spoke about how the movie affected and/or reflected their own experience. We embraced them and gave them a standing ovation. It was not meant to be symbolic. They need us. We need them...

Colorism and light skin privilege was discussed as there is some controversy about why the director chose a light skin female to play the lead character (Amandla Stenberg) when the heroine in the book and featured on the cover is clearly dark skin with nappy hair... A young light skin girl in the audience passionately and convincingly denounced her privilege and paid tribute and expressed love to her dark skin sisters. An elderly light skin woman stood up and warned those falsely comforted by light skin privilege that when the chips fall, we are all in the same boat, in the same river, fighting for the same paddle. Another of those discussions that needs to happen amongst us...

Book Cover, Author Angie Thomas

Similarly, in August at MVAAFF, a young lady posed the subject of colorism to the director during the Q&A session. Young adults (YA) are already familiar with this movie as many have read the YA book. Although the director should have been prepared for the question, his response was weak and defensive. Ironically, I recently read an article wherein the young star of the movie, Ms. Stenberg, did an interview about another opportunity that she turned down because she knew it belonged to a dark skin actress; the role of Shuri in the world famous and wildly successful movie released earlier this year, Black Panther. She acknowledged that she was being cast for the role because of Hollywood's unapologetic and divisive promotion of it's preference for light skin or interracial Black performers over dark skin actors. How brave, insightful and incredibly unselfish of her. When we know better, we do better. She is only 19...

By a show of hands most admitted to crying during the film; men too... I, too, had that response. I wish we had explored why we were moved to tears. Was it our anger, our hurt, our facing the realization that others just don't see, hear, feel or share our pain? Was it the reality of the loneliness of our pain that drove us to tears? At one point in the film, the main character acknowledges that "they don't hear us"... That resonated with me.

This is a film with a message for everyone. It is important that White folks see this film if no other reason, then to test their "wokeness". How much do even those who claim to be allies with Black, Brown and other non-white folks, how much do they really understand? What is their level of sensitivity? Do their tears flow when they watch this film and if so, is the source of emotion for their tears the same as that for Black viewers? This movie effectively puts that question to a test...

Again, this is a powerful movie on so many levels. If it does not move you, you have a hole in your soul... See the movie. Discuss the movie. Read the book. LaUnique Bookstore, Camden, NJ, sold out every copy on hand. There is a thirst for truth speak. Both the author of the book and the director of the movie did their part to quench this thirst.

For those who resist seeing the movie because it is the "same old movie" or "more of the same old pain of which we' like not to be reminded", it ain't so... If ever there is a movie that captures the power of film to spark an emotion, this is it. It is unpredictable and I assure you, this is not a movie that have seen. I will see it again. You be sure to support it next weekend when it officially opens in theaters nationwide. Don't cheat yourself of both a lesson and a blessing...