Director
George Tillman Jr.
Leading Actors/Actresses
Amandla Stenberg, Regina Hall, Russell Hornsby
Supporting Actors/Actresses
Algee Smith, Lamar Johnson, Anthony Mackie, Issa Rae, K.J. Apa, Sabrina Carpenter
Genre
Drama
Language
English
Awards
Date of Release
2018
Producer
Marty Bowen, Wyck Godfrey, Robert Teitel, George Tillman Jr.
Setting and Context
The neighborhood of Garden Heights, in an unnamed city in the USA
Narrator and Point of View
Narrator and POV is that of Starr Carter
Tone and Mood
Serious, Dramatic, Moving, Tragic
Protagonist and Antagonist
Protagonist is Starr. Antagonists are the Officer who kills Khalil, as well as King and Hailey
Major Conflict
Khalil, Starr's friend, is killed by a police officer who mistakes a hairbrush for a gun, and Starr is the eyewitness to the murder. She must decide how and when to speak up, while also avoiding compromising her and her family's safety.
Climax
The climax occurs when King walks towards Maverick and the young Sekani pulls a gun on King. Starr steps in front of Sekani with her arms up, to protect him from the police and to signal for him to put down his gun.
Foreshadowing
The opening scene with Maverick having his kids place their hands on the table to teach them how to act when they're pulled over foreshadows the fateful encounter with the police that leads to Khalil's death.
Understatement
Innovations in Filming or Lighting or Camera Techniques
Allusions
Allusions to actual events of police brutality: Sandra Bland, Eric Garner, Alton Sterling, Tamir Rice, and Emmett Till. Allusions to Harry Potter. Allusions to the work of Tupac Shakur.
