Hate.

I FINALLY watched 'La Haine'. I think you can assign judgement to a film by how long you stare incredulously at the silently rolling credits before realising it's time to stop the dvd. In this case it would be up at the 'superb' end of the scale; I even got to the bit where you can see the track list before I remembered to close my long-dropped jaw. I guess you could call it a kind of urban documentary, and although it has such a simple premise - following three friends from a neglected outer district of Paris during one day in real time - it is unbelievably effective in its portrayal of the permanent undercurrent of volatility which is palpable right until the jarring yet extremely effective finish. All three actors are brilliant - Said Taghmaoui, Hubert Kounde and of course the fabulous Vincent Cassel: 'Vinz', with his shaved head and lopsided swagger, is a slightly aggressive character (read: explosive) and is by far the standout performance, representing the conflicted persona of this frustrated generation. To add to that, the soundtrack is a treat for the ears, see Bob Marley's apt 'Burnin' and Lootin'' and Isaac Hayes' 'That Loving Feeling' (super sexy). If you want a film that combines beautiful black and white photography with gritty acting and dark humour, a strange incident with a cow and a spectacular bit of freestyle mixing of 'Sound of Da Police' with Edith Piaf, then 'La Haine' is perfect.