Words by Naomi Jeffreys
“Heard about the guy who fell off a skyscraper? On his way down past each floor, he kept saying to reassure himself: So far so good… so far so good… so far so good. How you fall doesn’t matter. It’s how you land!” La Haine, Hubert
Every once in a while, career defining films are made, films which push the boundaries, films which push expectations – and films which become classics.
La Haine was a French independent film, which was made in 1995, directed by actor turned director, Mathieu Kassovitz (Amelie). And starred Saïd Taghmaoui (My Brother the Devil), Hubert Koundé (The Constant Gardener) and Vincent Cassel (Black Swan)
The film had a reasonable budget of €2,590,000, the film grossed $309,811 dollars. It has since become a classic, a staple of French and worldwide cinema. With its gritty themes, clever cinematography and strong social/political message. This is a film which deserves to be watched.
‘Wendy Ide of The Times stated that La Haine is “One of the most blisteringly effective pieces of urban cinema ever made.”‘ And, based on fourteen reviews collected by Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an overall approval rating from critics of 100%, with an average score of 8/10.
Clearly this is a film which has heart, determination, a point. The Rabbit Film Section urges you to watch this film, if just to watch a piece of cinema history.
The Rabbit and Reel 