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Album Review
by Jen Pointdixter
17-1-2003
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| Eminem re-enacts his life in '8 Mile' |
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Eminem: '8 Mile'
(Universal Pictures)
Eminem re-enacts his ‘olden’ self
Eminem’s movie debut ‘8 Mile’ has cleaned up at the American box office whereas UK fans have to wait until 13 January 2003 to see it. While you wait, impatiently one assumes, here is what you can expect.
Em’s playing a rhyming maverick ‘Bunny Rabbit’ who is trying to get out of his ‘white-trash’ (ghetto-equivalent of the disadvantaged whites) living and make something out of his life. ‘8 Mile’ is the actual road that divides Detroit into ‘good’ and ‘wrong side of the tracks’. The plot is loosely based on Em’s own life and it doesn’t really require too many acting skillz… He’s cute, so very sweet, babes!
Marshall (Bruce) Mathers III – have you noticed an increased usage of his real name rather than arty-monicker that evokes controversy in mid-Americana? – in the role of Jimmy Smith Jnr is a ‘street’, passionate and, ultimately ‘Rocky’ type of a character. There is the same feel, bravado and style, as he pursues his dreams of a music career. It’s in the final scenes that the viewer is most reminded of Sylvester Stallone’s triumphant, chest-beating and rather too celebratory series of boxing epics, particularly in Eminem’s relationship with the ‘love interest’ portrayed by Brittany Murphy.
The film is impelled by the bleak, evocative city-scape cinematography of Curtis Hanson – director of ‘LA Confidential’ - and an edgy, moving Hip-Hop soundtrack, which was put together by, and features, Eminem. His onscreen rapping is awesome! His portrayal of the rather pish-takingly named ‘Rabbit’ dominates the screen, as he proceeds to, fundamentally, play Eminem, pulling himself up from the destitute lower rungs of the city’s unforgiving society.
One thing should never be forgotten with Hollywood versions of events: it is an interpretation of reality, beautified and de-fumigated; and, this is simply a story about the famous ‘American dream’. (You can make it if you want it badly enough in the Uncle Sam’s playground! There is a lesson Robbie W., Oasis and many other Brit-musos can learn here.) The movie appears to effectively capture Mathers re-enacting his own real life experiences in Detroit - developing his musical gift, living in a trailer park with his out-of-control mother and ‘making it’ - his performance is nevertheless entirely compelling.
Perhaps most impressive are the scenes in the city’s ‘Shelter’, where local rap-wannabes do Hip-Hop duelling. These moments form the crux of the film, and are, simultaneously, downbeat, funny and amazing, as Eminem, in particular, stamps his authority over the movie with the potency and humour of his rhymes and inimitable stage craft.
The movie’s biggest letdown is Kim Basinger (an Oscar recipient for her ‘LA Confidential’ part) who, despite being excellent, is a little too vampish for the trashy role as ‘Rabbit’’s mother. Movies are all about suspending disbelief but her portrayal requires extra effort.
‘8 Mile’ is a decent and watchable film but nothing more.
7/10
Jen Pointdixter
17-1-2003
‘8 Mile – Music from and inspired by the motion picture’ OST and ‘More music from ‘8 Mile’’ are out now on Shady Records/Interscope
[Originally published 01 Nov. 2002]
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