Review of 8 Mile (2002) by Emily K — 29 Jan 2013

This is a really good movie with a story that seems awfully familiar, but is still a good one. The film is partly inspired by the rapper Eminem's life. 8 Mile is a thoroughfare that separates the middle class neighborhoods with the lower class neighborhoods in Detroit. Eminem plays Jimmy Smith but goes by Rabbit. The movie has certain elements that were based on Eminem's life. His friends are like the friends he had when he was growing up, so that is why his acting seems so realistic. He played himself a little.

The song "Lose Yourself" was written by Eminem I between scenes during the filming if 8 Mile. The song pretty much summarizes the whole story of the film. The line in the first verse of the song "He opens his mouth, but the words won't come out, He's choking how, everybody's joking now" refers to the opening scene in the film where he gets up on stage to start the rap battle, and chokes. Well you read the quote you know what happened. "When he goes back to his mobile home, that's when it's Back to the lab again, yo This whole rhapsody He better go capture this moment and hope it don't pass him." That refers to how when he goes back to his room at night he starts writing his lyrics every night. Well if you like the story of the song you will like the movie. That is for sure.

Rabbit lives in a mobile home with his Mom. She is a drunk, and is very irresponsible. She is also soon to face eviction, and her abusive live in boy friend won't do anything about it. His mother is a typical abused woman who doesn't want him to leave her. Rabbit is a blue-collar worker who works at a car shop. He meets his girlfriend there Alex (Brittany Murphy). However his life hasn't changed at all since he finished high school, and he is just going downhill. He is a genius rapper, and his goal is to start his music career, and he knows that is probably the only way he can make a decent living and help his family. All of the things that happen in the film all just build up to the big competition at the end of the film where he redeems himself from his choke in the opening scene. He faces all three members of the group "Leaders of the Free World." They had harassed him all throughout the movi, and now it is his time to get even with them. The ending is simple. He just decided that he needs to find success on his own, and that is the right path for him. Great ending.

Eminem is probably the only hard core rapper that I like. I love "Lose Yourself," "Love The Way You Lie," "Without Me," "Sing for the Moment," "Mockingbird," etc. I didn't like him until I saw this film. Most rappers I feel like they don't have any message that has any meaning to it. This film shows how he has meaning to his songs and that he is more special and unique then guys like "Jay-Z," "Pitbull," or "Nicki Minaj." Only Eminem fans can see that.

Most rappers that act are terrible, and they make stuff that is awful. They usually do comedy's that aren't funny. Eminem though I feel like he is playing himself in the film, he is doing some really serious acting however. One of the rare hip hop singers that can act. Examples of singers who I think can't act are Rihanna, Ice Cube, and Beyonce. I hope Eminem tries to do something that is completely different from this.

This was a really good movie, that wasn't very original however. But there are so many people and stories in the world that it is impossible to come up with something entirely original. If you hate Eminem you may not like this, but even if you do you probably still will like it. I didn't like him when I started watching this, and now I love him.