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Hmm, strange subtext to this one.
Anyone who wants to venerate or berate the stylings or thematic glidings of La Haine are welcome to do so - but on that front, i'm just gonna say:
For me, the unravelling day of friendship-and-hate is managed excellently by writer/director Kassovitz; the off-the-street actors give it a veracity that adds to its clout; in fact, there's next to nothing in there that doesn't work for me (not even the incongruous wandering cow). I think it's a top notch film.
I want to concentrate on one core theme tho. That of hope. Or it's apparent absence in the film...
After my first viewing, years ago, it struck me as a powerful depicition of some of hate's causes and creations - but it did feel slightly remiss to me that no solutions were offered - just depictions of how things can and do go wrong. On a second viewing tho i noticed a 'solution' of sorts snuck into the blur of events in this 'day-in-the-life of dissolution'. These bits totally passed me by before.
I'm talking about two scenes, one of which sits at the crux of the film (in many ways) - while the other seems to merely be a moment of peace before yet another storm. But i liked the strand they tied together with one simple humourously-crass phrase...
Anyways, i just dig those two little bits, and was wondering whether anyone else felt they're worth, well, three paragraphs of spoiler text
.
I know there are mini bright lights amongst the riotous plight - such as the Arabic cop who does what he can, and Hubert's past -and potential re-emergance- as an aspirational man. Not too mention the positive spin that Said's energetic ways add to many a thing.
But for me, the old man bit, and the quiet effect he had on them, is a pragmatic yet hopeful aspect that's truly sweet.
Anyone who wants to venerate or berate the stylings or thematic glidings of La Haine are welcome to do so - but on that front, i'm just gonna say:
For me, the unravelling day of friendship-and-hate is managed excellently by writer/director Kassovitz; the off-the-street actors give it a veracity that adds to its clout; in fact, there's next to nothing in there that doesn't work for me (not even the incongruous wandering cow). I think it's a top notch film.
I want to concentrate on one core theme tho. That of hope. Or it's apparent absence in the film...
After my first viewing, years ago, it struck me as a powerful depicition of some of hate's causes and creations - but it did feel slightly remiss to me that no solutions were offered - just depictions of how things can and do go wrong. On a second viewing tho i noticed a 'solution' of sorts snuck into the blur of events in this 'day-in-the-life of dissolution'. These bits totally passed me by before.
I'm talking about two scenes, one of which sits at the crux of the film (in many ways) - while the other seems to merely be a moment of peace before yet another storm. But i liked the strand they tied together with one simple humourously-crass phrase...
WARNING: "**** and spirituality in La Haine" spoilers below
I'm talking about the scene with the old man in the toilet, and the later one on the rooftops (where they're watching fireworks, i seem to recall). This second scene delivers one of my favourite lines ever from a film, which i think was translated as: "God's inside us, and he helps us ****". I liked the way they had altered-yet-absorbed the old man's cunningly-delivered words...
You remember how Vince is losing it completely in the lav, and looks set to lash out at all and sundry, when, with barely noticed serendipity (by me), and playful 'senility', the old man emerges from a cubicle and manages to save both himself and them from some unnecessary strife. His down-to-earth remembrances of the war, held a couple of messages, such as 'you can't get too caught up in pride' and 'things can be much worse'. He then wove in the idea of 'God being inside us' [a concept i've always liked anyway], and was safely on his way (and farely serenely too, having successfully shifted his load)...
I liked the way the old guy was used in the film: he represented hope - coz he'd survived a time full of far more hate and strife; he represented a spiritual creed that could apply to all, with his "God is inside us [all]' apogee; and he represented wisdom - in that he applied his hard-won experience so deftly, in both 'educating' the boys, and extricating them all from a potentially messy situation.
You remember how Vince is losing it completely in the lav, and looks set to lash out at all and sundry, when, with barely noticed serendipity (by me), and playful 'senility', the old man emerges from a cubicle and manages to save both himself and them from some unnecessary strife. His down-to-earth remembrances of the war, held a couple of messages, such as 'you can't get too caught up in pride' and 'things can be much worse'. He then wove in the idea of 'God being inside us' [a concept i've always liked anyway], and was safely on his way (and farely serenely too, having successfully shifted his load
)...I liked the way the old guy was used in the film: he represented hope - coz he'd survived a time full of far more hate and strife; he represented a spiritual creed that could apply to all, with his "God is inside us [all]' apogee; and he represented wisdom - in that he applied his hard-won experience so deftly, in both 'educating' the boys, and extricating them all from a potentially messy situation.
Anyways, i just dig those two little bits, and was wondering whether anyone else felt they're worth, well, three paragraphs of spoiler text
.I know there are mini bright lights amongst the riotous plight - such as the Arabic cop who does what he can, and Hubert's past -and potential re-emergance- as an aspirational man. Not too mention the positive spin that Said's energetic ways add to many a thing.
But for me, the old man bit, and the quiet effect he had on them, is a pragmatic yet hopeful aspect that's truly sweet.
