Review of Straight Outta Compton (2015) by Kevin P — 08 Sep 2018

Strengths: Even if you aren't a fan of rap music, there's no denying that this is a straight up cool movie. It does well to capture what made N.W.A. stand out in the first place. Though these are stories that have been told before, there's a sense of wonder to everything that happens. Seeing how the turmoil within the group started early makes for compelling and tense scenes. The acting is on point. O'Shea Jackson Jr. (Ice Cube) plays his father and nails it. I'm sure it helps to have that much of a personal connection to who you're playing and Jackson makes the most of it. He essentially is Ice Cube. Jason Mitchell (Easy E) is another highlight. Though his character does some questionable things early, you can relate to him. The scene where he finds out he has AIDS is heartbreaking and expertly acted. Corey Hawkins (Dr. Dre) and Paul Giamatti (Jerry Heller) both do well. I also got a kick out of how some of the other characters are played by people who look, act, and sound like their real life counterparts. Keith Stanfield (Snoop Dogg) is the best of that bunch, but R. Marcus Taylor (Suge Knight) is great, too. Obviously, the soundtrack is stellar and fitting of the movie.

Weaknesses: At times, it can feel excessively long. With a runtime hovering around two and a half hours, it probably could've done with some trimming. As good as the soundtrack was, it never felt like there was quite enough music in the movie. It feels off for a film about music stars. I also wasn't 100% behind the way things were depicted. The way this story goes, only Suge Knight comes across as the bad guy and for the most part, you can sympathize with everyone else. That seems like a bit of a stretch.

Overall: The one glaring issue with this movie is the length. If you shave off some of the first act, it would tighten things up, especially with the other two acts moving along nicely. The acting and direction are both great, making for a very strong retelling of a true story.