ABC/Lorenzo Bevilaqua(NEW YORK) — Ahead of its release on Friday, Anthony Mackie is breaking down The Hate U Give and it’s “amazing story.”

“[The film is] about this young lady who witnesses her boyfriend, best friend, being murdered by the police,” Mackie tells ABC Radio. “And she has to make an interesting decision. Does she basically snitch, and tell the story of what happens and go against the police as well as the community and deal with the ramifications and the fallout of that? Or, does she keep her mouth shut like everybody is telling her to do?”

The Avengers star says the film is much more than just a Black Lives Matter narrative, it’s a “coming of age story.”

“[It’s about] a young woman coming to power and coming to her personal independence of speaking her mind and being honest,” he explains.

In the film Mackie plays King, a local drug dealer and former associate of Starr’s father Maverick. Mackie, who’s been a staple in the Avengers franchise playing the superhero Falcon, says he was quick to jump on the project.

“I wanted to do it, because it’s very important,” he says. “I’ve worked with George Tillman [director] three times now and seeing a young woman find her voice and get an opportunity as the star of a studio movie is few and far between. So, when I read the script I felt like… It was– if I have any little bit of star to add to that, to make sure that that story is told, I would add that star to that.” 

The Hate U Give, also starring Amandla Stenberg, Regina Hall and Russell Hornsby, hits theaters nationwide on Friday.

Copyright © 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.