--- title: "La Haine" year: 1995 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/la-haine" fi1m_id: "la-haine" imdb_id: "tt0113247" tmdb_id: 406 wikidata_id: "Q466101" fi1m_score: 90 critics_score: 84 critics_reviews: 12 published: "2026-09-13" updated: "2026-09-18T08:38:01.549940+00:00" region: "US" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # La Haine (1995) Directed by Mathieu Kassovitz · 1h 38m · MPA NR · Drama ## Identity La Haine - **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/la-haine - **Type:** Film - **Fi1m ID:** la-haine - **IMDb ID:** tt0113247 - **TMDB ID:** 406 - **Wikidata ID:** Q466101 - **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113247/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/406, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q466101 **Fi1m score: 90** · Critics 84 from 12 reviews *In a sentence:* Three friends can fill an estate with noise and still struggle to get anyone to listen > Mathieu Kassovitz’s drama about three friends after suburban riots is angry, funny and worth anyone’s evening. The direction occasionally shows off, but the performances make the friendship matter as much as the hostility surrounding it. ## Synopsis In the Paris suburbs, a police beating provokes riots, leaving three friends to spend the following day amid anger and tension. Vinz (Vincent Cassel), Hubert (Hubert Koundé) and Saïd (Saïd Taghmaoui) come from different ethnic backgrounds but share the experience of being young in a place where relations with the police are hostile. As they pass the time together, jokes and conversation coexist with resentment towards the society around them. Written and directed by Mathieu Kassovitz, the film follows their friendship through the aftermath of the unrest. ## Review Mathieu Kassovitz’s *La Haine* is worth seeing for its three friends alone. We would recommend it even to someone with little appetite for a drama about police violence, because the company is so persuasive. Set in the Paris suburbs after a police beating and riots, it follows Vinz, Hubert and Saïd through a restless day with few reasons to expect anything to improve. Kassovitz allows them to be funny and tiresome as well as angry, and that gives us a reason to care about what happens to them. Vincent Cassel’s Vinz is the most immediately arresting presence, his resentment so insistent that we start to feel crowded by it. Hubert Koundé, as Hubert, and Saïd Taghmaoui, as Saïd, make the friendship convincing enough that Cassel never seems to be performing alone. We laughed more than we expected at the friends’ exchanges, because the humour comes from their familiarity rather than a need to lighten the subject. Kassovitz’s dialogue lets us enjoy their company without requiring us to approve of everything they say. Pierre Aïm’s black-and-white photography makes the suburban spaces feel inhospitable without reducing them to an anonymous backdrop. The amount of space around the friends made us uneasy: they seem exposed, with nowhere welcoming to go. Giuseppe Ponturo’s production design helps make that environment convincing; the place feels inhabited, however unwelcoming it looks. The visual style is assertive, but the isolation remains clear even when we are conscious of how carefully an image has been composed. Scott Stevenson and Kassovitz edit the day with enough variation that its wandering rarely becomes slack. The encounters have room to develop, while the tension between the police and the young men keeps apparently aimless stretches from feeling disposable. The music credited to Assassin, with its hip-hop energy, suits that restlessness. It gives the film an audible connection to the culture of its characters, which matters when the photography is working so hard to catch our attention. There are moments when Kassovitz the screenwriter is too plainly arranging an encounter to make a point. A conversation can feel steered towards a useful remark, and the visual flourishes occasionally insist on being noticed when the actors have already secured our attention. We could have done with less of that insistence. The film is most persuasive when it leaves us listening to the friends, with time to notice the affection that survives their anger. Films about poverty and racial tension can leave their characters with little to do except illustrate the subject. Kassovitz gives these three friends enough personality to make that seem a particularly poor bargain. The hostility between the police and the young men affects how we read the whole day, including stretches when nothing much seems to be happening. The supporting characters receive some of that attention too, so that we remain interested when the friends encounter somebody new. At 98 minutes, it deserves an uninterrupted sitting, with the phone out of reach. The comedy should not be mistaken for a promise of an easy evening. The police violence warrants a warning, particularly for anyone drawn chiefly by the liveliness of the three leads. Leave some time to talk afterwards. *Fi1m score 90, published 13 September 2026.* ## What the critics say The reviews are unanimously positive, with praise clustering around La Haine’s black-and-white photography, restless energy and humane portrayal of three young men facing racial inequality and police hostility. Most critics find that the visual style makes the suburbs’ isolation and tension palpable, while the dialogue, comedy and friendship give the characters depth beyond the film’s political message. The Guardian singles out Vincent Cassel’s performance for the force of its resentment; several other reviews emphasise the maturity with which the film handles class, race and violence. The differences are chiefly in enthusiasm rather than fundamental judgement, and reservations are scarce. The AV Club finds some contrived elements and false notes amid the urgency and unpredictable scenes, while The New York Times notes the difficulty of translating the distinctive slang. Neither amounts to a rejection: the consensus values the film’s anger alongside its attention to the people caught up in it. ## Straight answers **Is La Haine worth watching?** *La Haine* is worth watching for anyone who can sit with a drama about police violence, and we scored it 90. Mathieu Kassovitz gives Vinz, Hubert and Saïd enough humour and personality that the friendship matters as much as the hostility around them. The direction occasionally shows off, but the three leads carry it. **How long is La Haine, and what is it rated?** *La Haine* runs 1h 38m and is rated NR by the MPA in the US. It is a drama film. **Where can I watch La Haine in the US?** *La Haine* is available to rent from Amazon Prime Video from $5.99. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service. **How violent or frightening is La Haine, and is it suitable for children?** *La Haine* carries a UK 15 certificate and is not suitable for children. It follows three young men through the day after a police beating and riots, and the police violence warrants a warning even for viewers drawn by the liveliness of the leads. The comedy is real, but it does not promise an easy evening. **How does La Haine compare to Do the Right Thing?** *La Haine* and [*Do the Right Thing*](https://film.one/film/do-the-right-thing) both find humour in a neighbourhood where racial tension and anger are building, and we recommend both without reservation. Kassovitz's film is the sparer of the two, spending a single restless day with three friends in black and white; Spike Lee's is the broader and warmer, with a larger cast of neighbours and a few conversations that run long. **What should I watch after La Haine?** After *La Haine*, try [*Do the Right Thing*](https://film.one/film/do-the-right-thing) (1989, Fi1m 93): For another neighbourhood where humour survives alongside racial tension and mounting anger. Then [*The Battle of Algiers*](https://film.one/film/the-battle-of-algiers) (1966, Fi1m 93): For a wider view of repression, collective anger and violence spreading; and [*City of God*](https://film.one/film/city-of-god) (2002, Fi1m 86): Young lives narrowed by violence, filmed with a similarly restless camera. ### Reviews we read (12) - **Time Out**, TCh (5/5): The critic praises the film's virtuoso, on-the-edge style and its deep engagement with the reality of life in the Paris projects. The characterization shows maturity and depth beyond agitprop, making it a vital, scalding piece of work. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/la-haine) - **Slant Magazine**, Max Cavitch (90/100, inferred): The review praises it as rousing entertainment and brilliant filmmaking, highlighting its nuanced treatment of race, violence, and class, and the aesthetic triumphs like black-and-white cinematography and dynamic style. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/dvd/la-haine/) - **RogerEbert.com**, Roger Ebert (85/100, inferred): Ebert finds the film a mature, insightful portrait of three young men from different ethnic backgrounds navigating alienation in sterile Paris suburbs amid police tensions and social unrest. He praises Kassovitz's alert black-and-white cinematography that captures the hostile environment and society's role in their predicament rather than individual choice. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/hate-la-haine-1996) - **The Guardian** (85/100, inferred): The critic praises the film's effervescent energy and comedy amid its depiction of banlieue rage and inequality, noting its timely relevance in the Black Lives Matter era. They single out Vincent Cassel's breakthrough performance as the standout element supplying the film's rocket-fuel of resentment. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/sep/11/la-haine-review-effervescent-classic-radiates-with-rage-and-comedy) - **The Independent** (85/100, inferred): The critic hails Kassovitz's debut as a raw, radical Molotov cocktail thrown at staid French cinema, blending polemic, comedy and parable in a 24-hour portrait of banlieue youth after a riot. It singles out the film's striking black-and-white visuals and use of space to convey isolation and tension for particular praise. [Read](https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/the-critics-extremely-dangerous-liaisons-1582662.html) - **Total Film** (85/100, inferred): The review calls the film an agitprop masterpiece that remains as provocative as a petrol bomb nearly a decade on. It highlights the powerful black-and-white shooting and hip-hop score as capturing growing frustration in post-riot Paris, declaring it the best urban angst film since Do the Right Thing. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/la-haine-review/) - **Variety**, Variety Staff (85/100, inferred): The review describes it as a layered, intelligent take on police-youth hatred that builds to a stunning crescendo, following three ethnically diverse friends over 24 hours. It praises Kassovitz's mature tone, narrative cohesion, and edgy camerawork. [Read](https://variety.com/1994/film/reviews/la-haine-1200440385/) - **The AV Club**, Scott Tobias (B+): The critic finds the film bracing and urgent with raw verve in depicting social rupture, praising its punk energy, unpredictable scenes, and rich dialogue despite some contrived elements and false notes. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/la-haine-1798202464) - **Empire**, Alan Morrison (80/100, inferred): The critic praises the re-release for its immediate, tough black-and-white photography and lasting punch as a portrait of multiracial suburban tension and police brutality. It singles out Kassovitz's success in finding humanity across all characters, from the central trio to peripheral figures. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/la-haine-review/) - **Evening Standard**, Derek Malcolm (80/100, inferred): The critic calls this re-release the best film of the week and a ferocious, uncompromising portrait of poverty and racial tension in Parisian suburbs that remains highly pertinent. It praises the edgy acting, black-and-white photography and balanced but clear-eyed view of the divide between haves and have-nots. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/ferocious-and-uncompromising-7381989.html) - **Los Angeles Times**, Kevin Thomas (80/100, inferred): Thomas calls the film raw, vital, and captivating, following three friends through a restless day after a police beating sparks riots. He singles out the strong American pop culture influence, bold visual style, and the poignant solidarity among the characters united against a racist society. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-03-08-ca-44396-story.html) - **The New York Times** (75/100, inferred): The review highlights the film's raw portrayal of violence and frustration in immigrant suburbs, noting its break from traditional French cinema and its focus on three resentful young men seeking revenge after a police incident. It observes the challenges of translating the distinctive slang and its resonance with American urban issues. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/1996/02/04/movies/a-raw-french-film-survives-translation.html) ## Details - **Director:** Mathieu Kassovitz - **Director:** Mathieu Kassovitz - **Screenplay:** Mathieu Kassovitz - **Cinematography:** Pierre Aïm - **Editor:** Scott Stevenson, Mathieu Kassovitz - **Music:** Assassin - **Production design:** Giuseppe Ponturo - **Costume design:** Virginie Montel - **Producer:** Christophe Rossignon - **Cast:** Vincent Cassel as Vinz; Hubert Koundé as Hubert; Saïd Taghmaoui as Saïd; Abdel Ahmed Ghili as Abdel; Solo as Santo; Joseph Momo as Ordinary Man; Héloïse Rauth as Sarah; Rywka Wajsbrot as Vinz's Grandmother - **Runtime:** 1h 38m - **Certificate (MPA):** NR - **Release (the US):** 23 February 1996 - **Genres:** Drama - **Budget:** $3 million - **Box office:** $15 million - **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKwcXt3JIaU ## Where to watch in the US - Amazon Prime Video: rent $5.99, sd - Amazon Prime Video: buy $14.99, sd *Checked 2026-09-13.* Also available in: AT, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, FR, GB, IT, JP, MX, NL, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## Awards - Lumière Award for Best Director 1996: Lumière Award for Best Director (won) - Lumière Award for Best Film 1996: Lumière Award for Best Film (won) - Young European Film of the Year 1995: Young European Film of the Year (won) ## If you liked this - *Do the Right Thing* (1989), Fi1m 93: For another neighbourhood where humour survives alongside racial tension and mounting anger — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/do-the-right-thing.md) - *Les Misérables* (2019): Another view of the Paris suburbs, with police power under close scrutiny - *The Battle of Algiers* (1966), Fi1m 93: For a wider view of repression, collective anger and violence spreading — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-battle-of-algiers.md) - *City of God* (2002), Fi1m 86: Young lives narrowed by violence, filmed with a similarly restless camera — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/city-of-god.md) - *A Brighter Summer Day* (1991), Fi1m 90: Youth, belonging and violence, given more time and a wider social setting — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/a-brighter-summer-day.md) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/la-haine