La Haine

Released Sep 1, 1995

1h 38m

Drama

List

96%

72 Reviews

Tomatometer

95%

25,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

When a young Arab is arrested and beaten unconscious by police, a riot erupts in the notoriously violent suburbs outside of Paris. Three of the victim's peers, Vinz (Vincent Cassel), Said (Said Taghmaoui) and Hubert (Hubert Koundé), wander aimlessly about their home turf in the aftermath of the violence as they try to come to grips with their outrage over the brutal incident. After one of the men finds a police officer's discarded weapon, their night seems poised to take a bleak turn.

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Critics Consensus

Hard-hitting and breathtakingly effective, La Haine takes an uncompromising look at long-festering social and economic divisions affecting 1990s Paris.

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Michael V

How far you fall doesn't matter, it's how you land… La Haine (French lit. 'Hatred') is a 1995 French social thriller film written, co-edited, and directed by Mathieu Kassovitz 🇫🇷 Oof, this isn't good 🙁 Probably give it a miss 👎🏼 I lost interest after 2 minutes… After a chaotic night of rioting in a marginal suburb of Paris, three young friends, Vinz, Hubert and Saïd, wander around unoccupied waiting for news about the state of health of a mutual friend who has been seriously injured when confronting the police.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

03/20/24

Full Review

Margaret S

What a film! Easy to watch, fast paced, beautifully filmed and immersed in the streets of frustrated Paris youths living in housing estates. Poetic in a gritty way. I was originally drawn to this because the thumbnail reminded me of the gun scene from Taxi Driver (with Robert De Niro). Must watch!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/16/24

Full Review

Pablo A

I wasn't sure about this movie for a significant length of the runtime. But the ending has to be one of the best ones put into screen. Letting aside how beautifully shot this movie was the story comes to a perfect end with unexpected events that will shake you to the core. It was hard to connect with the protagonist and so much hate on both sides towards each other. At the end I understood everyone thinks they are doing right in their own means and that doesn't necessarily mean other people perceive it the same way. It's an empathy and understanding event that was unique and entertaining but I had no fun watching. Nevertheless, it is a classic and a masterpiece for what it intends to portray and that patience pays off.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/11/23

Full Review

Conta N

Achei o filme superestimado.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

11/24/23

Full Review

Yash B

"La Haine" explores a variety of topics that will likely be relevant somewhere at some point in time for the rest of the time to come. I think that gives this film a timeless feel and that is why it is talked about so much in film circles. It is also really well shot and well acted to the point where it doesn't always feel like a movie. I will go ahead and say I probably don't like this movie as much as many others do, but I still have a great appreciation for the craft at display here. I think the story builds up to a finale that will stick with me, but a lot of the time I wasn't sure what was going to happen, which on the same token, is why it can be an engaging film to experience. Overall, it is a movie that is technically brilliant with relevant ideas but isn't always the most entertaining or gripping when it comes to storytelling.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

05/08/23

Full Review

B W

Had the whole cinema in silence once the credits began to roll. The anxiety and stress I felt throughout this movie is a monumental achievement for a director and cast presenting the struggles of adolescent life in the underfunded, restless, hostile out suburbs of a city.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/22/22

Full Review

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Mathieu Kassovitz

Director

Vincent Cassel

Vinz

Hubert Koundé

Hubert

Said Taghmaoui

Saïd

Abdel Ahmed Ghili

Abdel

Joseph Momo

Ordinary Guy

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81%

73%

Jude

88%

79%

Gridlock'd

12%

49%

S.F.W.

64%

54%

Chinese Box

88%

89%

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Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

Though some of this might seem a bit old to Americans, Kassovitz has some things of his own to say -- and he says them with nuance, feeling, and authority.

Jul 20, 2023

Full Review

Kevin Thomas

Los Angeles Times

As for Kassovitz, his own go-for-broke visual bravura and highly charged storytelling are so American in feel that the news that he plans his Hollywood seems inevitable.

Jul 20, 2023

Full Review

Alan Morrison

Empire Magazine

Stark, exquisite black-and-white photography drains what little cheer there is out of the concrete jungle, creating an alien cityscape devoid of sunshine. But Mathieu Kassovitz's triumph is in finding humanity in every single one of his characters.

Rated: 5/5

Jul 20, 2023

Full Review

Aaron Neuwirth

Why So Blu

Watching it now, there’s still a great sense of the sort of power this film can have on display, even if it’s somewhat depressing to know Kassovitz could easily make this movie now and not have to really change anything.

Rated: 4.5/5

May 1, 2024

Full Review

Rudie Obias

Battleship Pretension

It’s a portrayal of what happens when low income living, boredom, alienation, and hopelessness intersect in one powerful and explosive cinematic experience.

Apr 22, 2024

Full Review

Philip French

Observer (UK)

Two things save La Haine from being schematic or a mere slice of life. The first is the quality of the performances... The second is the vigour and fluency of Kassovitz's script and direction.

Jul 20, 2023

Full Review

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Synopsis

When a young Arab is arrested and beaten unconscious by police, a riot erupts in the notoriously violent suburbs outside of Paris. Three of the victim's peers, Vinz (Vincent Cassel), Said (Said Taghmaoui) and Hubert (Hubert Koundé), wander aimlessly about their home turf in the aftermath of the violence as they try to come to grips with their outrage over the brutal incident. After one of the men finds a police officer's discarded weapon, their night seems poised to take a bleak turn.

Director: Mathieu Kassovitz
Screenwriter: Mathieu Kassovitz
Distributor: Gramercy Pictures
Production Co: Les Productions Lazennec, Canal+, Kasso Inc. Productions, Egg Pictures, PolyGram Filmed Entertainment
Genre: Drama
Original Language: French (France)
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 1, 1995, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 23, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $130.3K
Runtime: 1h 38m
Sound Mix: Surround, Stereo

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