Bodied

8 Mile doesn't have enough bars to keep up with Bodied. There is not a dull moment in this movie. It transitions from comedy to drama to comedy to drama to horror to comedy to action to comedy to drama to suspense to comedy etc..couldn't stop watching. Jackie Long & Calum Worthy performances were so good you would think they were really battle rappers. Script is full, all the characters matter. No misses. All hits. Joseph Kahn should get some gold in February.

So many didn't get it. It's a more-than-decent ode to battle rap, but also a scathing attack on a world that gets off on getting offended by everything. A truly admirable effort by little-known actors in a low-budget film.

Joseph Kahn's film "Bodied" examines the battle rap subculture with an emphasis on identity, political correctness, and the limits of free expression. The movie centers on progressive graduate student Calum Worthy as he does research for his thesis by delving deeply into the cutthroat world of battle rap. Kahn and Alex Larsen co-wrote the script, which explores the nuances of political correctness, cultural appropriation, and the hazy boundaries between derogatory language and creative expression. The film's dynamic direction gives the battle rap arena a rebellious character while capturing its excitement. The video employs incisive and thought-provoking dialogue to elicit conversations among viewers regarding the influence of language and the indistinct boundaries between artistic expression and insult.

On day six of 2018, music video and indie film director Joseph Kahn, and writer Alex Larsen (Kid Twist "King of the Dot") presents a street spoken word battle rap film that surpasses it's producer Eminem's 2002 "8 Mile". While this in-your-face, loud (sound track by Eminem ft. dr. Dre and music by Brain Mantia and Melissa Reese), fast moving and at times crude delivery in dialogue film may not be everyone's cup of tea, the performances, relevant dialogue, comedic tone, interesting special effects and the opportunity to peak into the underground world of battle rap should to be missed. Where "Hamilton" introduced history to the live stage, "Bodied" brings rap to the big screen. Enter young college caucasian grad student Adam (Disney "Austin & Ally" star Calum Worthy), smack in the middle of a competition trying to explain the language spoken within battle rap to his equally out of place girlfriend Maya (Rory Uphold - "HelLA" TV). Doing his graduate thesis on "battle rap" and the use of the "N" word, Adam knows the lingo and all the players. Quickly he befriends lead battle rapper Behem Grymm (Jackie Long "The Comebacks" 2007) who takes him on as a reluctant protege. Once in, Adam realizes he's got it in him to battle rap, combining his his smart boy eduction and historic knowledge of the craft. Making a terrific reappearance on the big screen is the mature Anthony Michael Hall ("Sixteen Candles" 1984), as Adam's well respected literary professor and father. The film is also filled by many of today's battle rappers, who also coached the films stars in the craft. This is a well made indie film, packed with comedy and drama, that will surly be a huge stepping stone for its director, writer and especially it's main stars Calum Worthy and Jackie Long. You will want to be one of the first to see this film. "Bodied" was screened at the Palm Springs International Film Festival 2018.

I didn't go into this film with much expectations. It is good though. Well directed, shot and acted for the most part on what I would imagine wasn't much of a budget. This isn't a another 8 mile. 8 Mile was about the characters, this Is a movie about the battle rap scene, so it falls into a couple of traps such as awkward cameos from famous battle rap faces that were clearly thrown in for the sake of it so that battle rap fans could go "oh look there's *insert*". The plot is not the strongest but it does the job. The comedy & jokes are good, I laughed out loud a couple of times in a good way. It can be cringey and cheesey though, especially the last 30 mins. And unfortunately this film tries to go for "the deeper message" about cultural appropriation but keeps going for it then abandoning it and then coming back again. Some of the leftie angles this film went for I honestly thought were tongue in cheek until the movie progressed and I realised they weren't. All this said it was worth a watch, especially if you are a battle rap fan, it does show how this day and age this is more of a sport