Hey folks, Harry here... I remember people railing on this film and this choice by Curtis Hansen when he announced it. People just would not give this film a chance. Most likely, this comes from a personal reaction, one way or another, with the music and persona of Eminem. I've heard some people compare Eminem as the Hip Hop Elvis. And like Elvis, he's taking some steps into the world of film. One thing is certain though as the reviews have been coming in... People are geniunely surprised by how good Eminem is as an actor in this film. I'm sure most of that credit will be being heaped onto Curtis Hansen's directing skills, until Eminem makes a second film and shows his skills as an actor with a different story to tell... If he has any other stories to tell, or if he wants to tell them. We'll see...
Hi Harry.
We had an advance screening of 8 MILE tonight at Stanford University, so I thought I would give you a few of my thoughts. I apologize if this isn't especially coherent or articulated as well as it should be; a long night of international relations homework has a way turning your brain to mush.
I guess I should give a little background on myself, so you guys can evaluate how closely my tastes mirror your own. I am not the biggest rap fan, but I don't hate it either; usually I find it useful only when I want to get pumped up to go work out or something. That being said, Eminem is one of the few rap artists I occasionaly listen to just for enjoyment. As for Curtis Hansen . . . I thought L.A. Confidential was a very good but nonetheless slightly overrated film, and I thought Wonder Boys was fun and pretty clever.
Anyways, about 600 students showed up for this screening, which was, for some inexplicable reason, being held in one of the smaller auditoriums on campus. Despite some truly inept crowd control and the building's 300 seat capacity, I managed to get in. The people in charge of the event had Eminem's two newest videos playing, and the audience had that excited murmur going. People were definitely more pumped for this than they were for THE SUM OF ALL FEARS, the last advanced screening we had. Based on the general excitement level, I think this thing could open to some pretty huge numbers this weekend.
So, the movie eventually started, and the look of the picture is the aspect that is immediately striking. Hansen's cinematographer has filled the screen with greys, blues, dull greens, etc. This creates a world that is perpetually in one of those stormy autumn days, somewhat forboding, but also, oddly enough, very beautiful and vibrant. When this is combined with the camerawork - which involves a lot of roving, moving shots, like the lens is another character - a tanglible atmosphere is created. The city of Detroit lives and breathes in this movie; the environment established onscreen is entirely believable and fully realized.
If all the characters were realized as fully as the world in which they live, then the movie might have been truly spectacular. I'll begin with the supporting characters, who are humorous, no doubt, but not especially well defined in terms of motivation or belief. This isn't necessarily bad all the time, since they usually exist only for two purposes:a) to back up Eminem's character, Rabbit; b) to be funny as hell. They succeed in these two regards, but the film tried to distinguish one of them - I forget his name, but he asks to be called MC Bob or something like that at one point - from the others, and it never quite comes together. I think the character had the potential to be really fascinating, as he obviously doesn't really belong in the group, and he is constantly trying to do things to fit in and earn respect from the group to which he is so fiercely loyal. The problem is, his actions are often ridiculously, unbelievably stupid. To be sure, many people do things in this movie that no rational person would do, but you can usually allow that these other people are acting in the heat of the moment. When MC Bob does something, it comes across as unrealistic. I was constantly thinking, "How can this guy be so frickin' dumb?" Plus, only one thirty second scene is devoted to exploring his role as the group's pseudo-outsider. I just thought very little was done with a character that could have been really interesting.
Britney Murphy's character was the other big characterization problem I, and many of my friends, had. When she is first introduced, it seems like she is the girl who sees something special in Rabbit, who knows that he is more than the loser everyone labels him to be. This, of course, culminates in the most awkward and abrupt sex scenes this side of ENEMY AT THE GATES. However, quicker than you can say "skank ho", she starts sleeping with this shady character whose allegiance to Rabbit is a matter of ambiguity throughout most of the film. Then, at the end, she is back to cheering for Rabbit, even though her future intentions are not all that clear. We just couldn't figure this girl out. Her inconsistent behavior suggests that she has some issues going on, but the film never focuses on her long enough to really explore anything. The possibility that she is just so desperate to excape Detroit occurred to us, but we still weren't sure about her in the end. Rabbit's previous girlfriend is similarly troubling; we know SOMETHING compelled him to leave her, but it is never explained. I don't think it necessary that his past relationship be spelled out explicitly, but several of my friends still felt like it was a loose end.
While these aforementioned characterizations didn't work for me, I found the others to be spectacular successes. First, there is Mekhi Phifer's character, Future. He reminded me a little bit of Ben Afflek's character in GOOD WILL HUNTING. He is an incredible friend to Rabbit: he's loyal; he wants to see his friend develop that ability that he knows is there; he's still flawed, not drawn broadly as some perfect super friend -- a fact that, in the end, makes him that much more important for Rabbit. Phiffer falls effortlessly into the roll, displaying all the enthusiasm and depth the character demands. The chemistry between Future and Rabbit is fantastic. Kim Basinger, as Rabbit's mom, also does some nice work, cementing my suspicion that only Hanson can evoke a really great performance out of her. She is an interesting creation. Her maternal instincts for her son are apparant, as she cares deeply for him. At the same time, however, she is not emotionally balanced herself, a fact which, at times, makes her a pretty shitty parent. Basinger does an admirable job of displaying the conflict within her character.
The real star of the show, though, is, as you may have guessed, Eminem. He is spectacular. I know he is basically playing himself, but his is a screen presence as dominant and enduring as that of almost anyone out there. A lot of people made a big deal out of Tupac's acting potential before he died. Eminem is better. I don't know how much dramatic range he'll ever develop as an actor, but in this role, he turns Rabbit into a living, breathing character who never for one second seems to be anything less than real. Unlike many musicians who are attempting to act, Eminem does not just deliver his lines; he lives them. He manages to inject such emotion into his scenes, to exude such intensity, anger, love, fear passion in his eyes, that it is literally breathtaking. This is pretty important, too, because Rabbit is not a rational person a lot of the time. You know that little voice in your head that tell you to kick someone's ass when they piss you off? You know how you can normally suppress it? Well, Rabiit can't. He acts on his first impulse with regularity. Yet, the acting is so strong that these reactions seem natural, justified, logical. Plus, the chemistry between Rabbit and his little sister are full of great, powerful, wondrous stuff.
I think most people have a pretty good idea of the story, so I won't go into it much. All I want to say is that it is relatively pedestrian and predictable, and it has some pretty flawed aspects. Some characters don't do much, or make a lot of sense, a very small collection of things are thrown in for some very un-Eminem-like PC purposes, and there are a few annoying coincidences. All of this can be overlooked, however, because Eminem and Phofer are really just that good. Emnem especially holds everything together with more poise than most seasoned actors can muster.
I think I should make another quick note on Hansen's direction. Besides having a moving camera, he makes some great editing decisions down the stretch, when Rabbit, after overcoming all kinds of trials, is in the middle of a rap battle, in which the two combatants square off and rap against one another. (This may sound weird to those of us from the other side of the tracks, but these contests are real; Eminemt got his start in them.) These scenes pump with contageous energy, and they are pretty exhilarating, even if you don't like rap. If GLADIATOR evoked a mob mentality from the audience, then this movie does the same thing, but to the nth power.
Now, it is pretty obvious that I thought the film was pretty good, and I think the overall audience reaction was pretty positive. They laughed at the intended parts, didn't make fun of much, etc. This is especially important given the audience, because Stanford crowds are notorious for bashing movies. I did get the feeling, however, that a lot of people just thought of the film as "good, but not great" and that the ending was a point of issue. Without giving much away, let me say that the ending is very ambiguous. I felt it was appropriate, but it pissed a lot of people off.
Okay, I guess that about sums it all up. Overall, the movie has some real flaws, but it is held together with some great acting and superior direction. I definitely don't think this will be a Best Picture contender, or even one that is up for many Oscars -- although I do think its cinematography is worth a look by the Academy. But, make no mistake, this is a legitimate film, not a vehicle for Eminem. *** out of ****
If you use this, just call me The Tree
Now here's another positive look, that has very few quibbles with the film....
Harry - Occasional contributor MrCere here (Monsters Inc., & E.T.).
I took in "8 Mile" last night starring Marshal Mathers, the Real Slim Shady (Eminem) in a fictionalized account that in some way glorifies/resembles what his Eminence went through getting out of his native Detroit. Virtually spoiler free.
I am not turned on by the whole hip hop/rap music genre and it honestly is mostly out of my social circles but I did find the film facinating and involving although not perfect. B. Rabbit (Eminem) is our main protagonist who is a white boy in a black culture in the middle of economic hell livng with his trashy (but oh so HOT-assed) mother in a trailer park. He travels with his black (there is no pretence of politically correct African-American in the film so I will not bother here) rap crew who include the fat guy, the idiot, the thinker and Future (Mekhi Phifer), Rabbit's best and least-looser friend.
Future hosts a rap-off every Friday night where street rhymers battle head-to-head to see who can out insult each other in the most clever meter. Rabbit is skilled but can't lay the shit down to open the film and struggles with his angst and self-doubts much the rest of the way. Rabbit and the gang daydream about music and rhymes getting them out of the ghetto but with very little real hope. A friend from a rival group of rappers also wants to help Rabbit, leaving him torn between Future and his new pal. Along the way Brittany Murphy shows up, look good on screen, does a nasty sex scene but manages NOT to show us anything juicy and basicly plays a character that helps screw up Rabbit's already less-than-decent life.
The film works as a realistic portrayal of a sympathetic underdog who has a life I sure as hell wouldn't want but who also has talent and some sense and who wants something better. His supporting cast, while easy to label, does manage to gain enough depth through dialog and interaction that they become a deeper than mere cardboard.
It also works as a real good look into the street-level hip hop world and a whole social stratta that middle class America just doesn't comprehend. (It needs to, but that essay isn't part of a movie review.) Weather or not the movie showed Detroit trailer park life like it really is I can't say but it FELT real. I was convinced. There is a level of constant threatened violence, angst, helplessness and despair in the lives of our characters which give the film its best quality, its gritty clarity. We watch young men at the peak of their growing up with not much hope for escape from their dreary world.
I had problems with the film too. Murphy's character shows up and leaves and all the while the audience is trying to figure out if she is going to be just a simple plot device. Because of how she is used, we expect more that we are given. However, her character is a damn sexy little trash girl. The hand-held, forced camera shake was irritating too. I KNOW it was used to make the audience feel like they were in the urban jungle but it was mostly distracting as if I could hear the director Curtis Hansen saying, "Let's add a little feeling of chaos to this shot."
Marketing might be blamed for the last problem but it still is a problem. From trailers and TV spots I was under the impression that we were going to watch the rise of the Bunny empire and the show seemed to push us toward that point and suddenly, it was over. It abruptly ends. It just wasn't quite enough.
These are still minor quibbles and I quite enjoyed the movie and I am confident it is going to make a boat-load of money. It will cross the cultural boundries around the nation and rack up the box office. I was DEEEEEPLY sorry not to see the Daredevil trailer in front of it. The music in the film was good too, but I could have done without the woman behind me hacking and sneezing and showing off her rapping skills during a couple of songs she knew.
Here's a very brief positive look...
Hey, Harry!
I caught a sneak of 8 Mile on Monday night, but haven't had a chance to tell you about it before now. I didn't see many reviews on your site, so here's a brief one.
First, I really enjoyed the film and I think people will really be impressed with Eminem's performance ... even though they really shouldn't be. Forget all the talk about 'oscar buzz.' As Rabbit, Eminem seems to have only two emotions; disaffected and angry ... but he plays them both very well.
Kim Basinger was almost too distracting in the film. I spent most of my time thinking 1. How did they manage to make her look as trailer trash as they did and 2. she doesn't seem trailer trash enough. Plus she revived her native southern accent which seemed out of place in Detroit, and at one point just made her sound silly. The theater actually LAUGHED in the scene when she tried to kick Rabbit out of the house.
Brittany Murphy was sexy and did seem to have real chemistry with Eminem, especially during their, um ... scene of intimacy ... which actually brought applause from the audience.
Of course the rapping rocked and the few scenes where Eminem showed his lyrical skills energized the screen.
In all, the whole seemed greater than the sum of its parts ... this film will have legs.
Oats
Now we have a student that declares this the best film in and around the lifestyle of Hip Hop...
Dear Harry,
I'am a college freshman at the university at Buffalo,and I am a huge fan of your site. Which is mainly your overwheleming support of the new star wars movie, thank you for that. Anyway, I got a chance to see a free advanced screening of 8 mile today at my school, and I thought I'd write you a review. I'll keep it as short as possible.
Basically this is bar none, the best movie set around and in the hip hop lifestyle. This does not mean that it is a great movie. Now before I go any further I have to be fair and say, I am going to see this again, because I liked it, and because I feel O need to view it more carefully with a normal audience. So I'll get on with it, first the good stuff. Eminem is amazing essentially because he is playing himself. All the actors are good, and most of them are fully developed and you care about them (esspecially rabbits friends). The script flows well, and the direction is amazing. Mr. Hanson should get the most credit, for turning this movie into more than just a "Hip Hop" movie, but not losing that element either.
There are real emotions developed here, and story not just backdrops to eminems skills on the mike. Anyone who appreciates the art of rap will love this movie, the freestyles are insane, unlike anything you have seen in a movie. They will shock most who have not ever heard a battle, because it is an unbelieveable talent. The one suprise I had was that it was a very funny movie with the audience laughing many times.
Now the bad. My main complaint is that the story did not seem focused. I felt like some people are not fully explained, and so they seem useless (Like rabbits ex girlfriend). I thought eminem's relationship to Ms. Murphy could have been laid out better as well. Holes in these areas leave it not seeming as cohesive as it could be. It also did not seem to focus on one area of thought, some of it felt out of place with the rest of the movie (like the burning house scene). This is what prevents me from calling it a great movie.
One last thing, I sat in the theater and I said will adults like this movie? The answer to that is still tricky. I hope older Americans go in and look past some vulgar talk and scenes, and see the culture behind it, and try to understand it. I just think everyone should to see this movie, whether to learn, or to be entertained. 8 mile is a huge step up for Hip Hop, and sets a new standard for muscians turned actors.
-A Fan
Finally here's an article put together from a native of Detroit with a perspective about the real 8 Mile area of Detroit - photos of the area - and commentary from the Detroit film critic about the film and the city....
Hey Harry,
Being a native Detroiter I know more than a few things about Detroit and the REAL 8 Mile that most anyone outside of Michigan doesn't. The film takes some liberties portraying it as something of a dividing line.. which is certainly is NOT. Though is is certainly more faithful and accurate than any previous "Detroit" film that I've ever seen.
A number of "Detroit" travesties include: RoboCop (most of which was filmed in Texas), the awful Tupac vehicle GridLock'd (which looks more like Harlem than Detroit), and Steven Segal's last film Exit Wounds which was shot entirely in Toronto. These aforementioned films are NOT Detroit... so forget them at the door...
Steven Soderbergh's Out of Sight was one of the few that did Detroit right, though it's appearance was rather limited.
With that said, I figured I would pass along a few links worthy of your attention...
The Detroit Free Press has a nice article and photo gallery of the real 8 Mile that I thought you might like to share with your readers. It should give them a little perspective on what 8 Mile Road is really like and provides a glimpse of what you DON'T see in the film.
The best quote in the article is fitting, as Detroit is often poorly portrayed in Hollywood films: "North America is certain to be mystified, because 8 Mile is so Detroit and the references to it in the movie are so fleeting."
There is also a review by Detroit Free Press film critic Terry Lawson... and he gives it 4 out of 4 stars. High praise from a guy who's a notoriously tough critic.
His best quote, "They chose to make "8 Mile," a movie that is for Eminem what "A Hard Day's Night" was for the Beatles: a movie that codifies a myth while turning it inside out and holding it up so we can see our reflection."
The Links:
Article: Click Here
Photos of the REAL 8 Mile:
Terry Lawson's Review:
Thanks,
Mike
