8 Mile

I was moving around IMDB just now trying to sort of fill in the blanks of some random credits that I'd missed in my movie catalog, and I ran across this review of 8 Mile from this college student in NYC. Now, I never really write reviews because everyone's opinions vary distinctly and it seems kind of pointless to try to show them the "magic" of a certain movie if they refuse to see it, or to tell them how horrible it was as though I think that I'm really that much better of a director, writer, or whatever. But after reading such lines as "if you liked this film, you know nothing about film" and so on, I simply couldn't contain myself.

First off, let me start by saying that I in no way respect Eminem as an artist. I personally despise rap and the "culture" that it creates in society full of pumped up punks trying to act tough or "hard", as they struggle in a societal structure that they perpetrate upon themselves. In fewer words: I hate listening to constant bitching and dated slogans about bitches and benjamins. And after hearing about Eminem's wife-beating and all around socially retarded mentality, I wanted less to do with 8 Mile on the probability that he may be receiving a percentage of the ticket sales. But, after a time, I ended up renting it at Blockbuster for the hell of it, at least to give it a chance. I popped it in, and I was all set and ready to hate every minute of it... but ended up sitting through a movie that actually left me with a smile on my face.

For those who've not yet seen the film, I'll give some background of the story. Eminem plays Rabbit, a struggling Detroit freestyle rapper trying desperately to make a name for himself in the bustling Detroit underground music scene. Kim Basinger plays his alcoholic mother, miserable and bitter of where her life has ended up (in a trailer park, barely able to make rent or take care of herself). Mekhi Phifer plays Future, Rabbit's best ally and, in some ways, his father figure; playing the role of the protective, guidance providing, loving role-model. Conflict stirs in Rabbit's life as, through his bouts with stage fright and homelessness, he begins to question his ability to make it in the world of music as he wishes to; nearly becoming content to simply abide life as he knows it. But through his experiences and how he works through his own personal problems, he starts to see his path better and more clearly.

Now, I grew up in a very small town. A farming community in the middle of nowhere, where my nearest neighbors where half a mile away. I hated every minute that I was there and felt trapped in a world there that I didn't feel welcome in or a part of. Aspiring to become a filmmaker when everyone tells you you're an idiot for even thinking of it isn't easy. Which is probably why I related so much with this film. Rabbit's own experiences as well as his mother's criticism of him and his life make him feel trapped within his station of life, feeling as though his own specific voice isn't being heard, and trying desperately to change that. Anyone who doesn't recognize this is someone that I would generally think was lucky enough to not be born into this type of community structure with ideals that conflicted with the generally accepted norm; as it's thoroughly developed throughout the story. And the story... the story develops nicely over time. It never feels rushed or thrown together hastily just to make a movie with the star power of Eminem. That COULD have happened, and it COULD have made a lot of money for everyone involved. Instead, a director was chosen who understands pacing of a story, importance of cinematic elements throughout a story (i.e.: not just putting actors on screen to say their lines and that's it), and who just understands the elements of how to tell a good story on film. They even gathered a supporting cast of actual actors who've proven themselves as true artists within their craft in the past, and didn't just hand off the part to one of the executive producer's nieces or nephews or whatever. Scott Silver's loose adaptation of the life of Eminem was tweaked just enough to skew from Eminem's specific life, and become more universal in it's ability to portray a struggle that millions of artists go through around the world. All of these elements, along with my surprise at the actual acting ability of Eminem, combine to tell a story that feels deeply personal while very universal, and can be related to by more people than simply myself. It tells a story of never settling for what you can get just because it's easier, and that hard work and dedication are the only ways to dig your way out of a perpetual cycle that you may find yourself a part of.

To close, this is by no means the best movie that I've ever seen. Not even close. But that doesn't mean that it's not a prime example of filmmaking at it's best. A movie doesn't have to be the best thing since disco in order to be any good... it simply has to have a purpose and a message, and portray those with clarity and honesty; which this movie accomplishes in spades.

See this movie.

I was afraid of this movie. For a long time I feared that one day, Eminem WOULD make a movie - and that movie would suck!!!!

Along it came, and you know what? It didn't suck. Man, was I relieved.

I have never been able to put a finger on Mr. Mathers' rapping skills, I think his technique is amazing. His rhymes are sharp and intelligent and he always performs them with pure justification. But could he take this to the big screen? He succeeded. In his debut movie he managed to play it real and natural. He had good on screen chemistry with pretty much all the characters, but especially with Brittany Murphy (Uh, gotta love that sex scene... That was hot.)

The final battles in the movie, are the absolute climax. If you ever had any doubts about Eminmems talents - one way or the other - you definitely know his worth now!

• Some might say that it must be easy to play yourself, and it's not a secret that this movie is somewhat autobiographic. But it sure takes guts to put yourself out there like that, well done.

So 8/10

I enjoyed this movie immensely. I thought it was a departure from the typical movies that star Hip-hop artists nowadays, which typically glorify the hip-hop lifestyle. Which is a very material lifestyle. This movie was pretty dark.

I thought Eminem did a good job acting. I mean he's not going to win any Oscars for this role, but he does a very good job acting. If not for who he is, then you wouldn't pay too much attention to his acting because that's how competent he does.

As most of you already have heard, this movie was based on Eminem's life, but none of the events are actually factual. His relationship with his mother (Basinger) is much more amiable than it is in real life, or at least how it comes across in his music.

Brittany Murphy acts as his love interest, but most importantly his muse.

There are some scenes that leave you scratching your head. One of which is the Eminem-Murphy love scene in the plant. It seems out of place and bad for the pacing of the film. Also Taryn Manning's role as the ex-girlfriend is almost unnecessary. The presence of her character is a key plot element that sets up the film, but the appearance of her character in the film by its end seems unnecessary due to the fact that it is underdeveloped. I wonder if there were more scenes involving Manning that were ultimately deleted via editing.

Overall I enjoyed the movie. Some may not enjoy it as much, but that's probably because they go into the movie with different expectations. If you're expecting something other than a hip-hop based film that subtly comments on social/economic/racial issues, and is a pseudo-rags to riches story, then you might be sorely disappointed.

8 Mile probably isn't what you expect. Given the cast and premise, you probably expect one of two things, either a silly excuse for self-aggrandizement or an overblown caricature of hip-hop culture. You don't get either. What you get is a brave film that is surprisingly culturally and intellectually rigorous and an aggressive film that is so emotionally intense that it seems to sometimes tear itself apart.

The plot is not a biography of Martial Mathers, a.k.a. Eminem, but it is very much informed and guided by the experiences of his early career as a rapper in blue-collar and no-collar Detroit. Eminem gives a compelled, powerful performance that diverges just enough from his public self to inject the story with a strong sense of realism without sacrificing anything artistically. The supporting cast also makes fine use of their considerable talents, carving the Detroit of this film out of the world itself, not out of fiction. Even as they help communicate a hard, unforgiving time and place, they also give rise to deep and profound sympathies that don't come around in every film.

The naturalistic presentation doesn't stop there; most of the film is shot on location in Detroit, and the gritty, sometimes almost frenzied design and cinematography firmly establish that this is not just another Hollywood movie. This is a movie that goes places movies don't generally go where, for good or for ill, many people do live every day. For one, 8 Mile might have the most believable, most powerful representation of an automobile factory of any film in the last twenty years, and it still manages to use the location for sophisticated, plot driving drama. Good stuff.

Of course, the film has its flaws. It's very heavy and bleak, at times it skirts the boundary of cliche a little bit, and the villains, a rival rap group known as the "Free World," are a little over the top, but, time and again, the solid acting and daunting camerawork keep coming back to seize the eye and command attention.

Oh, and, in case you were wondering, there is rapping, and plenty of it. The rapping is really top-quality, cutting edge stuff, for the most part, and it is integrated into the script so well that it is always clear that the characters choose to rap, not that the script forces them to do so. The rapping happens because it must happen to these characters at this time, not because Eminem is a rapper. In an industry where pop music movies are a dime a dozen, this is particularly impressive. This film says something about rap and the human experience that hasn't been articulated this well many times before; it bridges the gap between rap and poetry in a big way, and makes that gap look a lot smaller.

All in all, the thing that really defines 8 Mile is how committed to this idea the cast and crew must have been in order to make this film. Every minute and every second, the cast's intensity never gives up, and the camera never sleeps. The film is detailed, finely crafted, and has a pounding heart the size of a boxcar. If you don't mind the obscenity and violence (and there is a bunch), I'd definitely say this is a movie worth seeing.

I think the most impressive thing about 8 Mile is that Eminem isn't a terrible actor. Or maybe he's just playing a character so close to himself that he doesn't have to act. The story is predictable, so there's not a lot of tension while watching it. Also, I found myself wondering why these untelevised, unpublicized rap battles were such a big deal for grown adults. Nevertheless, it's a satisfactory underdog story that I'm glad I finally watched.