To be honest, when I first heard that rapper Eminem was slated to star in a movie based on his life, I couldn't help but remember similar pop-star movie disasters.
Remember 1991's train wreck "Cool As Ice," starring Vanilla Ice? Or the 2000 catastrophe "Da Hip Hop Witch," starring Vanilla Ice and Eminem? How about "Glitter," the embarrassment that killed Maria Carey's career? And there's always moments of cinematic greatness like the sweet coming of age skin-flick staring Britney Spears in her bra and panties and anything with Snoop Dog's name attached to it.
Fortunately, "8 Mile" is nothing like any of the films I just listed. In fact, it was a great movie.
The plot revolves around Eminem's character Jimmy - a.k.a. B-Rabbit - a young rapper stuck doing manual labor and living in a trailer with his mom. Jimmy and his posse dream of recording careers. He's got talent, but has trouble with stage fright and who can blame him with all the pressure he's under.
Wink, a fast-talking friend with connections, promises free studio time but Future, played by Mekhi Phifer, an emcee who runs weekly freestyle rap battles, thinks Jimmy needs to earn some credibility. Throw in Kim Basinger as an alcoholic mom, a sketchy new love interest played by Brittany Murphy and a supposedly pregnant ex, and the boy's got some serious problems.
The thing that made this film great is that it avoided simple answers and easy endings. Although it was definitively Hollywood, it stayed away from a lot of those areas that have been explored time and time again in stories of this type. This movie had no million dollar record deal, no new car and no dream girl waiting for the dramatic kiss at the conclusion.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
In the end, "8 Mile" was about self-respect and being accountable for your life, and explores areas that have been overlooked for far to long.
I may be wrong on this, but I think the central conflict in "8 Mile" was not about the publicized main-character-against-the-world theme. It was more about taking control of life and not relying on other people. The movie was filled with characters that were looking for a break and willing to do whatever they thought necessary to get it - like sleeping with anything that had a pulse and a promise.
This movie relies on more than just star-power to make its mark. Eminem puts on a top-notch performance in this film. Backed by a smart story, he may be in line for some real acting recognition.
His range is shocking. Of course he can do rage - listen to his music - but he also manages to play the softer emotions with flawless believability. Though he is such a detestable public figure, I couldn't help but like Eminem in this role. Maybe it's because he was asked to play himself and he is so comfortable in front of a camera.
Whether you are a fan of Eminem or not, this film is definitely worth the price of admission. Just remember to go to the bathroom because even with its extended playing time, you won't want to walk out in the middle of this one.
