Runtime: 97 minutes
Directed by: Mathieu Kassovitz
Starring: Vincent Cassel, Hubert Kounde, Said Taghmaoui, Abdel Ahmed Ghili, Solo
From: A few different French companies
Hubert wore a Carhartt beanie DECADES before it became a trend.
It was about time I started fulfilling some requests. Awhile back, a Letterboxd mutual wanted me to watch then review this film. In March, I’ll tackle a pair of late 50’s Westerns requested by two different people, and also my first narrative Werner Herzog movie. For now, I finally discussed one of the most highly-rated pictures on Letterboxd. While I don’t think it’s “one of the best movies of all time” as the ratings may suggest, I was more than satisfied w/ the end result.
Vinz, Hubert, and Said are three young adult pals-the title translated to English is “hate,” which describes the temperament of the trio-who are all part of immigrant families and live in the same slum. Throughout the span of a single day, we see the trio deal with the aftermath of an urban riot (yep, law enforcement is not looked upon favorably, to state the portrayal mildly; think of that what you will) which greatly harmed a pal, and a stolen .44 Magnum that belonged to a cop that factors into the plot. Busting each other’s balls is a frequent occurrence as the viewer realizes their lives are a rudderless ship, wasting time as they go from place to place in their enclave.
The film is loud and intense, all three leads full of vulgarity. “Your mother sticks carrots up her ass!” is a phrase new to me. I don’t always love such behavior but for the sake of the plot, it was warranted. As the plot unfurls, we see life in this unique world—it is not as miserable as I’ve led on. After all, there’s a breakdancing scene… it was still a searing look in black and white at the violent life of some wayward characters. As for the conclusion—the final minutes were a masterpiece. Thus, I was happy to receive such a recommendation… I am never against getting them anyhow, but when I rate a movie so highly, it’s a treat.
It’s a shame that Hubert Kounde never had much of a career as his performance was as good as that of Vincent Cassel and Said Taghmaoui. An even bigger shame is that director Mathieu Kassovitz only made two films in Hollywood… and they were the much-derided Gothika then Babylon A.D.? “Typical Hollywood” is me making assumptions as to why this occurred. A key aspect for how great the movie was… is that the director took part of his own life and brought it to screen. However, he still deserved better projects.
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