Greetings, fellow scientists. When the trailer for the film adaptation of Angie Thomas’ The Hate U Give dropped last week, we at FYA were lady-balls-to-the-walls excited, so we’d be remiss if we didn’t analysis the ever-loving shizz out of this trailer before we have to wait three and a half more months for the movie’s release on October 19 (on my grandmother’s birthday, no less. Happy birthday, grandma—you know not what you receive that day).
So snap on your gloves and goggles and let’s grab our magnifying glasses to scour every inch of our specimen. First, it in its entirety:
Now for the observations:
0:02 – This first glimpse of the car makes me feel like I’m watching a horror movie. I’m already yelling at the screen, “Don’t go down that road, Khalil!” like you would at the protagonist running up the stairs away from the murderer (Pro-tip: NEVER run up the stairs).
0:11 – Starr clearly thinks a lot of Khalil—just look at that smile and side-eye. Is there anything sexier than flirty, teasing banter? (The answer is no.)
0:21 – Khalil, respecting Starr’s boundaries about her current relationship but just letting her know that he’s still super interested: “We’ve been together through a whole lot, Starr. We’ve got time.”
OMG, BUT, NO, YOU DON’T! Cue for tears #1
0:24 – Amandla is just the cutest, and I can’t even fault her for raking in that YA adaptation dough for movie after movie (I wonder if she and Chloe Grace Moretz went out for drinks one night and Chloe was like, “GET ON IT, GIRL,” because she knows what’s up). It’s been a minute since I read the book, but I loved the tone of her voiceover about their neighborhood, and I feel like she’s gonna kill it as Starr.
0:25 – I love this little callout to the sneakers, as Starr does love her kicks: “With each hard rub, the shoes cry for my help. No lie, every time a sneaker is cleaned improperly, a kitten dies.”
0:26 – #relationshipgoals (Well, minus all the baby-momma drama and the prison, but, you know, Lisa and Maverick now are a solid couple with an adorable family.)
0:29 – Sekani and Maverick! #familygoals My favorite part of the book was Starr’s family dynamic and I hope they get that right in the movie.
0:33 – My second favorite part of the book was how Garden Heights and its inhabitants is basically an entire character in its own right, and the trailer (and hopefully the movie) just gets that. Here’s Reuben’s!
0:36 – And the barbershop!
0:37 – In my mind, Carter’s Grocery was on a street with multiple attached buildings, not a standalone place like this. How dare the movie location scouts not consult with me.
0:44 – I love the tonal difference when we switch to Williamson Prep. Starr’s neighborhood is all rich, warm colors, and the high school she attends is very cool-toned blues and kind of sterile to the eye.
0:53 – This is the only glimpse in this trailer we get of KJ Apa as Starr’s boyfriend, Chris, lookin’ like a dork.
1:05 – Aaaand back to the reason we’re all here. Look at those sweet faces, just two old friends having fun together. In the immortal words of Ace of Base, DON’T TURN AROUND (cuz you’re gonna see my heart breaking).
1:10 – Starr: “When I was twelve, my parents had two talks with me.” This entire scene is going to be hard to watch.
1:11 – Look at this a-hole already getting his gun primed and ready.
1:12 – Exactly how I pictured that road.
1:15 – The smoking gun hairbrush of DOOM.
1:19 – GOD DAMN YOU, hairbrush!
Cue for tears #2 I’m just gonna let Starr’s cry face stand in for me here.
1:25 – I wonder if that person in the front left is supposed to be DeVante or Seven. I liked DeVante’s journey in the book, so I hope they give him enough story in the movie.
1:33 – I think this is a good moment to gaze on the calming face of Common as Uncle Carlos.
1:39 – I know this is a serious moment, but in this still it looks like Maverick is doing some pantomiming for his family while they wait for the waitress to bring their check.
1:42 – ISSA RAE, hello, goddess! (Did you know she’s writing a new show about a bisexual black man? Thanks, Google.)
1:50 – Anthony Mackie playing King, the head of the King Lord drug dealers in Garden Heights. I imagined him as a big, imposing dude but I’m sure Mackie will play him with a good measure of menace.
1:52 – I feel like this may be a part where the movie shines better than the book. There was nothing wrong with the way the riots were described, but it’s one of those visceral things that will look very powerful on-screen.
1:59 – Still not loving that slogan. I don’t have any good ideas for alternatives, but I’m just going to armchair judge and say it’s cheesy.
2:16 – FIGHT THE MAN. I’m pretty sure this scene will give me chills.
So my final hypothesis is: this movie is going to kick ass and take names. In other words, I CANNOT WAIT. What say you, fellow nerds?
