8 Mile
  
reviewed by Doug
Schneider The
way current-day music stars are bombing on the silver screen, you’d think it would be
a warning for other musicians to stay clear. Look no farther than Mariah Carey in Glitter
and Britney Spears in Crossroads. But Eminem is different. He’s outlandish,
he’s controversial, and he has an attitude that screams: I just don’t care.
Perhaps that’s why he’s so successful in 8 Mile -- plus, he’s
basically playing himself.
Eminem plays Jimmy Smith Jr., whose nickname is Rabbit. He
lives in a trailer with his mother (Kim Basinger) near a street named 8 Mile -- the
dividing line between the rich and the poor. Jimmy, of course, lives on the wrong side of
the road, but has aspirations if not to be rich, then at least to achieve some sort of
success and respect.
Most think Jimmy is a loser, including his mother and his
ex-girlfriend. His friend Future, though, thinks Jimmy has potential as a rapper. In fact,
early on in the film Future calls Jimmy a "genius" (wouldn’t people like
Albert Einstein roll over hearing that label applied to so-so musicians who string
together average rhymes?). Future works at a club where rappers "battle" onstage
-- exchanging on-the-spot verbal jabs instead of real punches. Near the beginning of the
film, Future gets Jimmy up on the stage, only to watch him choke in front of the crowd.
Directed with skill by Curtis Hanson (L.A. Confidential),
with edgy cinematography by Rodrigo Prieto (Amores Perros), and with an impressive
big-screen acting debut by Eminem (even though this role does not make him reach at all), 8
Mile has all the makings of a great film. And with all the pre-release buzz about it,
you’d swear it must be true. The fact is, while the film itself is good, it’s
hardly anything great. In fact, it’s not anything new.
8 Mile is raw, gritty, and intense, but it’s
also formulaic and predictable. If, from the first few scenes, you don’t see this as
another underdog, rags-to-riches story, you haven’t seen enough movies. And, at the
moment Jimmy chokes on the stage, if you don’t realize that his getting back on the
stage will be saved for the climax of the film, you haven’t seen the countless films
that have gone down this well-worn path before. This is simply the rap-world version of
Rocky and The Karate Kid -- the same old thing we’ve seen time and time
before, only with more bad words.
The best thing about 8 Mile is Eminem -- quite a
surprise for a music star turned actor. And while he’s not necessarily electric
onscreen, he’s energetic and intense and he brings some life to what is really a
boring little tale. But despite how good Eminem is, and even though it’s been made
with top-of-the-line skill and precision, when it comes down to entertainment value, I can
only give it a **1/2 rating. |
