The Hate U GIve Parent Guide

Starr Carter (Amandla Stenberg) has mastered code switching. The African-American 16 year old lives in a gritty Los Angeles neighborhood and attends an elite school in a white community. “Garden Heights is one world”, Starr explains. “Williamson is another. I gotta keep them separate. So when I’m here I’m Starr Version 2.” Then tragedy strikes and Starr can no longer keep her worlds apart.

One night, as Starr leaves a neighborhood party with her childhood friend, Khalil (Algee Smith), they are pulled over by a young police officer. Not having had the benefit of “The Talk” Starr received from her father (Russell Hornsby) about how to behave around the police, Khalil argues with the officer. After he has been told to leave the car, Khalil reaches back in through the window. The officer fires and Starr watches in wide-eyed horror as Khalil dies in front of her.

Khalil’s death plunges Starr into a world of shock, grief, and fear. While the visibly traumatized teen struggles to deal with her friend’s death, she must also decide if she is going to speak out about the shooting. Starr is torn: she wants to be a voice for her friend, but she is afraid of the cost. If she speaks out and testifies before a grand jury, she believes her schoolmates will see her differently – not as Starr the person but as a charity case from the ghetto. More dangerously, if she testifies that Khalil was a low level drug dealer, the local gang leader will be in jeopardy. As Starr grapples with her choices, she also has to contend with threats and gunshots through the walls of her home.

Given the nature of this story, it is not surprising that the film has some content issues that might cause concern for parents. The movie contains a fair bit of violence, including one episode where a child is shot by a gang member and the pivotal scene where Khalil is killed. Beatings, threats, and an attempt to trap young people in a burning building raise the violence quotient. Profanity is also far too frequent, with almost five dozen profane or coarse expressions, including three sexual expletives. Obviously, this film is not suitable for children, but older teens with an interest in complex social and political issues will enjoy this thought-provoking production.

Despite the negative content issues, The Hate U Give comes with some strong positive messages. First, the movie shows a strong, loving family. It’s not perfect – the father, Maverick Carter has a history involving past gang membership and teenage fatherhood. But the parents have a loving relationship with each other and are determined to raise responsible, honest children who respect themselves and others. As Maverick says to his kids: “Don’t you ever forget that being black is an honor ‘cause you come from greatness.” The second powerful message is about integrity and the courage to be yourself. Starr learns from her father’s words, “Shine your light. I ain’t named you Starr by accident.”

The movie also benefits from an incandescent performance by lead actress, Amandla Stenberg. From portraying a sparkling high school sophomore at the beginning of the film, to a pale, shaking, traumatized witness, to a determined, brave young woman, Stenberg brings a fierce light to the role. She is a pleasure to watch and should be a strong contender come Oscar season.

The Hate U Give is a powerful movie, but it is not an easy one to watch. Its title comes from rapper Tupac and his tattoo “Thug Life” which he explained as follows: “Thug Life stood for ‘The Hate U Give Little Infants F*ks Everybody’. Meaning what society gives us as youth, it bites them in the a** when we wild out.” The film shows the terrible truth of his words, etched most sharply in one terrible, climactic scene. Fortunately, it also demonstrates that the love parents give their children has a power of its own.