#Eminem 8 mile rap battle papa doc tv#
Hanson even manages to slide in one arty reference to the great film director of the 1950s Douglas Sirk, by having Rabbit’s mom glued to the TV watching “Imitation of Life.” Now that was a great picture that had something significant to say about black-white relationships, something this film couldn’t do. Confidential” director Curtis Hanson (“Wonder Boys “). 8 Mile benefits mostly from a stylishly depressing Motown cosmetic look provided by cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto, Eminem’s ability to laugh at himself in a healthy way, some witty moments (when you can hear the dialogue over the loud rap music in the background), and mostly from the filmmaking craftmanship of “L.A. But it’s more tolerable than the similar musically themed ego-driven flick of Prince’s Purple Rain, which I realize is not saying much. For all its bluster and pretensions to hipness, the all too familiar story is trite, boring, and lacking any force despite the loudness of its message. If Eminem is a genius then Tiny Tim must be God.Īs is the case in the usual sports themed films - clichés rule the day, as the formulaic story of the underdog losing at first but then at the climax scene winning against all odds is again reworked into a film for the trillionth time. Things become even more ludicrous when Future refers to his white rapper brother as a genius. The street poetry is recited in angry spurts by Eminem, as he huffs and puffs and looks all bad in his ski cap.
The rap consists of obnoxious woofs carried on for 45 seconds at a time and shouted out against an opponent, while emceed by Future as if it were a boxing contest. It’s a hoot to hear the doggerel expressed in the slam contest thought of as poetry. The film for all its attempts to show the meaning of life for the oppressed through its music, is still as empty as a bag of wind. Yo! I could just see myself getting all excited about him showing those black doubters that this poor white boy is better at their game than they are. Rabbit’s thing is to battle the black rappers for supremacy of the local rap turf so he can get some respect, and also to get connections so he can become the Man and get himself a fat recording contract, get himself a good set of wheels, lots of chicks, and all sorts of other materialistic goodies–and move his white ass out of the neighborhood. But, pray tell me, what base was Basinger thinking about when she took this ridiculous white trash part as a loser? Who is she supposed to appeal to … the trailer-park crowd? The blacks do not make up most of the white star rapper’s fan base. The targeted young white audience will probably identify and care a lot about Eminem- their 30 million album selling idol, while a black audience it is hoped will flock to see the film for the hip-hop music.
He lives in a trailer-park with his down-and-out, boozer, Bingo-playing mom, Stephanie Smith (Kim Basinger), and his candy sweet young sister Lily (Chloe Greenfield), whom he protects at all costs. He comes out of the rundown Detroit street of abandoned houses and strip clubs called 8 Mile (it separates the decaying predominantly-black inner city from the affluent predominantly-white suburbs to the north). Eminem plays the part of a skulking and sometimes shrill white rapper, whose name is Jimmy Smith Jr., a.k.a. It may or may not be about Eminem (the film character he plays certainly resembles the brooding rapper). Yo! “8 Mile” is a rags-to-better rags biopic set in 1995 in Motown (it was also shot in Detroit, giving it an authentic inner city look).
“ If Eminem is a genius then Tiny Tim must be God.“ (director: Curtis Hanson screenwriter: Scott Silver cinematographer: Rodrigo Prieto editors: Craig Kitson/Jay Rabinowitz music: Eminem cast: Eminem (Jimmy Smith Jr./Rabbit), Taryn Manning (Janeanne), Anthony Mackie (Papa Doc), Kim Basinger (Stephanie Smith), Michael Shannon (Greg), Chloe Greenfield (Lily), Mekhi Phifer (Future/David Porter), Brittany Murphy (Alex), Eugene Byrd (Wink), Omar Benson Miller (Sol George), Evan Jones (Cheddar Bob), De’Angelo Wilson (D.J Iz) Runtime: 118 MPAA Rating: R producers: Brian Grazer/Jimmy Iovone/Curtis Hanson Universal 2002)
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