'The Hate U Give' Is Available To Rent For Free On Digital Platforms As Protests Supporting Black Lives Matter Continue

As the protests supporting the Black Lives Matter movement continue across the country, more and more people are looking for movies and shows to watch that address the root issues of that movement. (And no, The Help is not exactly the best available option.) Studios and filmmakers are making some particularly relevant movies free to rent, and it's hard to get more relevant than 2018's The Hate U Give, which involves the police shooting an unarmed black man, and what happens when the officer's non-conviction inspires massive protests and riots.

If you missed the movie when it came out, now's your chance to catch up with it. The Hate U Give has been made available for free on digital platforms, and you can read the director's statement below.

I'm Excited that #TheHateUGive is avail Tues at no charge on digital platforms. I hope the film provides a bit of understanding. Our story is a reminder to never be afraid to raise our voice in the name of justice. We must stand up for what we believe. The time for change is now! pic.twitter.com/e9FZuqKb33

— George Tillman Jr. (@George_Tillman) June 9, 2020

The Hate U Give was very well-received when it opened. It's currently sitting at 97% on Rotten Tomatoes, and the Los Angeles Online Film Critics Society, an organization that counts /Film's Peter Sciretta among its members, gave it several major awards in 2018, including Best Picture, Best Breakthrough Performance (Amandla Stenberg), Best Adapted Screenplay (Audrey Wells), and Best Supporting Actor (Russell Hornsby tied for the honor). You can read our review of the movie here.

Here's the trailer:

This movie is the latest major Hollywood film which pointedly deals with race to be made free to rent, joining Ava DuVernay's Selma and Destin Daniel Cretton's Just Mercy. Amandla Stenberg (The Hunger Games, The Eddy) stars in this one alongside Russell Hornsby, Regina Hall, Issa Rae, KJ Apa, Algee Smith, Sabrina Carpenter, Common, and Anthony Mackie. George Tillman Jr., the director of the Notorious B.I.G. biopic Notorious, the Dwayne Johnson action film Faster, and an indie called The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete (which is also worth your time) directed it.

Here's the film's official synopsis:

Starr Carter is constantly switching between two worlds: the poor, mostly black, neighborhood where she lives and the rich, mostly white, prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Now, facing pressures from all sides of the community, Starr must find her voice and stand up for what's right. THE HATE U GIVE is based on the critically acclaimed New York Times bestseller by Angie Thomas and stars Amandla Stenberg as Starr, with Regina Hall, Russell Hornsby, Issa Rae, KJ Apa, Algee Smith, Sabrina Carpenter, Common and Anthony Mackie.