It was a good idea to have shot his film in a black and white cinematography because it bestows it with a very gritty aura sometimes there's a documentary whiff which pervades the film. Kassovitz did his best to create a stylish film and it paid off well. A day which will lead to the inevitable, marked out by the time which often appears on a black screen. An ordinary day during which the trio appears as prisoners of their suburbs and have a life with no horizon. The three of them wander in their neighborhood and in Paris between visiting of friends, relationships with the riffraff, the police, arguments, reconciliations and foolish things. And also Saïd (Saïd Thagmaouï), a brazen teenager. It's both the catalyst of the riots and adds fuel to the fire in the incessant conflicts. Hubert (Hubert Koundé) a pacifist who craves to get out of this daily hell but where to go? He also knows that hate breeds hate. When he is asked to make an effort of reflection, he loses his temper. He is proud of having stolen the gun of a cop and hopes to make good use of it. There's Vinz (Vincent Cassel) who acts the tough guy.

In the space of a day, his camera follows a threesome of ruffians.

This gives his movie an ultra-realist sensation which rings true. To better be immersed in his plan, Kassovitz shot his film in one of these high-risk French suburbs (I can't remember its name but you can check it in the 'filming locations' rubric when you arrive on the page of the film on this site). I haven't seen 'Gothika' (2003) but he shot it with the Hollywood presence on his back and I fear the worst. 'Assassin(s)' (1997) left me uncomfortable and queasy and 'les Rivières Pourpres' (2000) was an absolute turkey. Afterwards, he didn't cease to disappoint me. 'La Haine' remains Mathieu Kassovitz's best moment. It heralded a genre: the 'film De Banlieue' whose backdrop is high-risk French suburbs and in its wake, other movies emerged like 'Bye-Bye' (1995) or 'ma 6-T Va Crack-Er' (1997).

'La Haine', probably one of the most momentous French movies of the nineties caused a stir when it opened in 1995 so much so that it became a big social phenomenon.

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