The most recent secret screening from Cineworld was The Hate U Give. I’m going to be honest I don’t think I’d even really seen anything for this film, but it feels like it was an important film.

As a white, British, female I couldn’t even begin to comment on how it must feel to be a black American right now. But I’d like to think films like this give me an insight and God does it make me mad at ignorant people who act before they think (all colours alike I might add).

Starr (Amandla Stenberg) lives in Garden Heights; the ‘hood’ part of town where both of her parents grew up. Her mom (Regina Hall) wants to move to a safer neighbourhood but her dad (Russell Hornsby) feels like they should stay and give back to the society. So, Starr her two brothers and parents stay. However, the compromise is that they go to a private school in an affluent area. Starr feels like she has two personalities, the one that fits in with school and her white friends and the one that she has when she’s at home; yet she doesn’t feel like she fits in either.

One night after a party, Starr is in the car with her friend Khalil (Algee Smith) when a cop pulls them over; sorry not just a cop, a white cop. Things escalate, and when Khalil reaches for his comb the cop shoots and kills Khalil. What follows is the story of a young girl too scared to tell her story. Scared that people from her school will view her as the poor black girl from a bad neighbourhood who’s friend died and scared for her own safety when people realise who the witness is.

I found the story so moving. I do hope it’s a genuine depiction of what people go through everyday and not just a media shined version as I feel like it’s a very important story to share. It really made me think. There was also a scene where you heard from a cop why these situations escalate, and although I can’t for a second condone the use of guns in America, I can empathise the fear that people have.

Good job Cineworld for bringing this film to people’s attention! I fully recommend it. And please, educate me! If anything I’ve said is wrong or miseducated give me a shout!