The story of a young man trying to make it off the streets of Detoit and out of a world of poverty starring rapper Eminem, Brittany Murphy (Don't Say A Word) and Kim Basinger (Bless the Child) and directed by Curtis Hanson (Wonder Boys and LA Confidential).
Another film starring a popular rap artist can't possibly be a good thing would be something most people might tend to agree with. Usually, I would agree wholeheartedly, but 8 Mile is actually a pretty good film with solid performances across the board, even from rapper Eminem. The film was intended to be an "Eminem Film" from the beginning and that's why the film almost takes on an autobiographical approach to his life so far with the much-documented problems the rapper has had with his mother evident in the tenuous relationship the fictional character has with his mother. This and the rest of the film wouldn't have worked very well had the acting been poor but Eminem surprisingly shows some depth and range as an actor and the more accomplished members of the cast such as Basinger and Murphy are able to bring some extra personality to their respective characters. The rest of the supporting cast that includes the likes of Mekhi Phifer and Eugene Byrd also perform aptly in fleshing out their characters who befriend Eminem's character on his journey to deal with life and accept it.
Director Curtis Hanson thankfully isn't tempted to make the film more heavy-handed than it certainly could have become. What we don't need is another drama that takes itself too seriously all the time. He sidesteps exploiting the various faults of the characters to make them more likable and watchable than they deserve to be. While the actors do well in their roles, occasionally the film appears to underwritten, as the script by Scott Silver doesn't always develop the supporting characters to their fullest and make them become more than paper thin. The script specifically struggles with developing an effective end to the preceding events so it just drags itself out too long yet still seems to end before everything is resolved or sufficiently wrapped up. The film also at times seems kind of chintzy with its flair and ambient photography disappearing intermittently in favor of standard sitcom style photography.
Overall, 8 Mile is a surprise in that Eminem actually makes for a decent actor and the film isn't as overbearing in its drama to make the film uncomfortable to watch. Instead, I can recommend 8 Mile for solid acting and good pacing and some interesting ideas and different takes on a common theme.
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