8 Mile (2002)

There is a close-up two-shot near the end of Eight Mile where Jimmy Smith (Eminem) is facing Papa Doc (Anthony Mackie). Both characters are in profile in a shot very reminiscent of Sly Stallone facing off with Mr. T in Rocky II. This is as it should be. When we look at the structure and theme of the film, Eight Mile could easily be described as Rocky does rap.In the Rocky movies (and for that matter in Flashdance), working-class nobodies in dead-end jobs are given a shot at the big time-a title match and admission to an elite ballet school respectively. While the formula is similar in all three films there are marked differences that make Eight Mile more than just another formula film.In this film, the American dream mythology is pushed to the background, and the lives of the inhabitants of the neighborhood are moved to the foreground. This movie also ends differently than the others, and the difference is important, but giving movie endings away is a major violation of the film critic's creed.I like movies where the setting becomes a character in its own right. Here the setting is just south of Eight Mile Rd. in Detroit. Eight Mile Rd. separates the poorer black community from the wealthy white suburban community, and Eminem plays a white rapper on the wrong side of the tracks. As the movie begins, we see him nervously preparing for a "rap" battle in which contestants go onstage and disparage each other in their rapping. Jimmy chokes and is forced to leave the stage in disgrace. Among his interracial group of supporters, Future (Mekhi Phifer) is the one who sees real talent in Jimmy's rap and continues to push him.Kim Basinger plays Jimmy's mom, a woman who attaches her dreams to empty promises, alcohol, and bingo games. When Jimmy's fortunes take a downturn he is forced to return to the trailer where his mother lives with her live-in boyfriend and Jimmy's younger sister.If the movie were primarily about rap music, I probably would not have seen it. When I do listen to rap it is usually in my role as sociologist (as opposed to my role of music lover). I am not a fan of rap, particularly the misogynistic, homophobic form that Eminem is noted for. But the film is primarily about social conditions in America's abandoned cities and the inhabitants who are trapped and disenfranchised. While I am not a fan of Eminem the rapper (or for that matter, Eminem the person) I am now a fan of Eminem the actor. His performance is solid and has a stamp of authenticity that serves the film well. His work is enhanced by solid supporting performances from Phifer, Basinger, and Brittany Murphy. If you are interested in an engaging, slice-of-life film depicting the part of American society that most citizens ignore or avoid this is worth a look.If, however, your primary moral/aesthetic criteria for art involve the presence or absence of the big three (the big three being language, sex, and violence) be forewarned. Because the film depicts rap artists the coarse language is a given and it is pretty raw. The violence is minor compared to other similar films, but there are several scenes depicting sexual promiscuity here. The sexual promiscuity is used to reveal character (or lack thereof) and while graphic it is thematically redemptive in that it does show the negative consequences and shallowness of these fallen encounters. While the sexual encounters depicted are more graphic than viewers will see in the upcoming James Bond film, they are more positive precisely because they don't glorify the promiscuity as the Bond films do. In the end, this is a powerful film that goes beyond the cliches to give us an interesting depiction of urban America, but it is a rough ride. If you are easily offended by depictions of fallen humans in all of their brokenness, this film may just leave you shaken, not stirred.

It really captures the struggle of ''Jimmy 'B-Rabbit' Smith'' growing up in a suburban black neighborhood.. ''8 Mile''. 8 Mile is the place Eminem was growing up in as well. But the movie does not tell the full life story of Eminem in particular, instead it's more about the life of Jimmy Smith or as they call him 'B-Rabbit'.. Eminem and Rabbit have similar life styles, both had a tough upbringing, not a very sweet mother, trouble with money, trouble with life and trouble with making it BIG as an rapper. Jimmy 'B-Rabbit' Smith have all odds against him, he just need that spark to get up..

This is the only rap movie I've seen and I don't really listen to rap music (the extent of my rap knowledge is Kanye West and Eminem's 'Stan') so I'm not really qualified to review this movie but I'll give it a shot.Man, rap music is hard! I hear people say that rap is annoying and it's not 'real music' because they're not singing, only speaking fast, but watching the scathing, cunning and brutal rap battles in this movie I shudder at the thought of trying to keep that pace. Not just the pronunciation but the thoughts, the innovation, the ad-libbing.So, it's a music movie. In a way you could even call it a musical because characters spontaneously burst into performance like they do in 'The Sound of Music'. Mostly it's a standard underdog story. Eminem is a guy in the dumps, close to rock bottom, but he endures and rises to the challenge with his quick wits and his perseverance. He's not a bad actor and the character is sympathetic enough. Brittany Murphy plays a pretty but trashy love interest.Most of all I liked the rap battles, especially the ones at the end. They were as intense as any physical fight scenes I've seen and had me pumping my fist in the air.

Once again I'm not able to write an objective review. I've been listening to Eminem since I was twelve. Many of his lyrics are stored right in my brain. His Infinite from 1996. is what made me a hip-hop fan even to this day.This autobiographical music drama is going to exhilarate Em's fans as well as hip-hop fans. Some others may find this movie boring or even ridiculous. When it comes to acting Eminem did a pretty good job for a rapper. I remember him speaking how hard he had worked in order to impersonate B-Rabbit. He had very little sleep (maybe few hours a day), took sleeping pills, wrote lyrics on set in spare time, had to drive long mileage to his place and back to the set. His fans know him well: if he's passionate about something he'll act almost like an addict.Other B-Rabbit's crew members did a solid job in acting. They were fun to watch and looked like they knew each other for years; even his opponents! I can only imagine Em's fans seeing B-Rabbit (Eminem) going toe-to-toe in a rap battle with Lil' Tic (Proof, R.I.P.) who was Eminem's best friend and amazing hype man. His fans know Proof's death almost ruined Em's career and sadly almost ended his life. Seeing them on stage, years after Proof passed away, makes me melancholic about early 2000's when Dre, D12 and Em swept the whole world with funky and violent Slim Shady as a leader. Look at his raw energy when he performed Square Dance (his concert intro theme) on Anger Management Tour 2002! You can clearly see the difference now without Proof. Back to the movie.When I was a teenage boy I almost fell in love with Alex (Brittany Murphy, R.I.P.). She was just to cute and cool! That short haired blonde girl played B-Rabbits girlfriend and did it amazingly; who can forget her cool, mellow swagger? Kim Basinger played Stephanie Smith, Em's mother he wrote so much about. She played his mother exactly as I had seen her from Em's songs. He's now sorry for writing "Cleaning Out My Closet" and "no more plays that song on shows and cringes every time it's on the radio" (Headlights ft. Nate Ruess). Michael Shannon (now starring in Midnight Special, 2016.) played Greg Buehl, his mother's boyfriend for whom B-Rabbit sings "He's tapping my mom and we're almost the same age". In reality, Michale is two years younger that Marshall.Now the music for which 8 mile won an Oscar. Opening scene hi-hats from Mobb Deep's Shook Ones pt.2 stick with me permanently. Feel Me Flow played by Naughty by Nature as well. What about Outkast's Players Ball, The Pharcyde's Runnin', Wu Tang Clan's C.R.E.A.M, Biggie's Juicy and many others? Not to mention first hip-hop song ever to win Academy Awards - Lose Yourself. 8 mile's soundtrack will delight all hip-hop fans and make them nod their heads.Story itself will be very familiar to those listening to Em. It's truly inspiring and in that "stands head, shoulders and heart above other movies made that year" as Joe Morgenstern from Wall Street Journal notes. It's a story about passion for something. And that's Em's life story. Now, fourteen years after movie was made, Eminem's made such success and has won so many prizes that's it very hard to list all of them. Wikipedia notes he won 155 prizes and was nominated for 311 on them. He's won 15 Grammy awards and was nominated for 43 more. Sold more than 120 million albums. He's now 44 and still doesn't look like giving up or doing something else.In conclusion: 8 mile is a modern poetry in motion for which hip-hop fans will forever be grateful. Great punch lines and multies in wintry 1995. Detroit? You've gotta love it.