+ Best Music Movie of the Year
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| The cool poster for F. Gary Gray's Straight Outta Compton plays on the group's controversial image |
Straight Outta Compton is one of the big hit movies of the year and an absolute must-see for any hiphop-fan out there.
We trail the story of the creation of the rap group N.W.A. in Compton, California in the 1980s, as they shed honest and foul-mouthed light on their environment of drugs, guns, crime and police harassment.
The film jumps right at us with an excellent opening scene that leaves you panting in your seat and hooked for the rest: The N.W.A. story is rife with drama and strong moments that justify the film's long playtime (147 minutes), which doesn't feel long at all. The film thrives on an immediate energy, authenticity, big heart and a great sense of detail and overview. Debuting writer Jonathan Herman and Andrea Berloff (World Trade Center (2006)) has penned the screenplay.
The saga is set in an era that is at the same time several decades in the past and yet still feels very present day in some ways, especially the scenes of racial tension, institutionalized racism and the fear, hatred and rebellion that it creates, - which regrettably still isn't a past item in American history yet.
F. Gary Gray (The Italian Job (2003)) has done a great job of reining in a film that could have spiraled off in many less interesting directions and also of getting a batch of young actors to really perform.
This powerhouse of youthful and creative spirit and moral ambiguity for the thoughtful audience member has son of N.W.A. member Ice Cube, O'Shea Jackson Jr. portraying his own father in his movie debut. Both he and Corey Hawkins (Non-Stop (2014)), who portrays Dr. Dre, do very well, but it is Jason Mitchell (Contraband (2012)) as Eazy-E who takes the price. He and Paul Giamatti (Sideways (2004)) as manager Jerry Heller. It is wonderful to see Giamatti again breath life into a character that feels so real and layered.
In a supporting part as Suge Knight, who comes off as a violent maniac, R. Marcos Taylor (Life of Crime (2013)) is very convincing as well. Knight was actually involved in more violence during the making of the film, as he carried out a hit-and-run that left one man dead and another injured, reportedly following an argument on the set of the film.
Criticisms have been raised about the film's truthfulness, its leaving out several characters, (which most biographical films that cover a large gallery of people and events will most often have to do), and its failure to include certain sides of its protagonists. Dre's problem of being abusive to women isn't portrayed for instance. The film feels honest, but it walks a fine line, and the protagonists could have easily all have lost our involvement in their history, if we actively disliked them, which the creators of the film have pretty deftly managed to make sure most of us wont. Dre, Cube and other N.W.A. members and affiliates act as producers and consultants for the film.
The director's cut version is a good deal longer and includes more of the great stuff that makes up the original film, although it lacks some of the shape and was understandably cut down.
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Cost: 28 mil. $
Box office: 197.8 mil. $ and counting
= Huge hit
[The film began development at New Line Cinema in 2009 and was kicked around for some years before landing with Universal and Gray. It was shot in August 2014 - January 2015 in California. The film was released with heightened security in its premiere weekend at some venues, because it was feared that it might spark violence, (none occurred.) Dre has released a highly successful album, Compton, inspired by the film. The film raced to an impressive #1 spot with a 60.2 mil. $ first domestic weekend. It held on to the top spot for two more weeks and has become both the biggest music biopic of all time in the US, crossing Walk the Line's (2005) 119.5 mil. $ with its 120.9 mil. $ and has also crossed Walk the Line's #1 status worldwide. It is also the highest grossing film by a black director ever in North America, surpassing Keenan Ivory Wayans' Scary Movie (2000). It has grossed 160.7 mil. $ (81 % of the total gross) in North America. Its second and third biggest markets are the UK (12.2 mil. $/6 %) and Australia (8.7 mil. $/4 %). Straight Outta Compton is certified fresh at 90 % with a 7.5 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes. Gray's arguably best film to date has refueled his career in a big way: He has gotten future gigs Furious 8 (2017) and Black Panther on its strength. It will be interesting to see if Compton will be remembered and honored come Oscar time...]
What do you think of Straight Outta Compton?
Other hiphop biopics that you want to recommend?
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