Obviously flawed, but authentic - and some classic moments, too.

Rating: 7/10 (21 January 2003)

Although "8 Mile" has obvious flaws - a total lack of story, for one - I enjoyed it a lot. First and foremost, it is decidedly un-Hollywood in its authenticity; Curtis Hanson never forces the action and has managed to capture real hiphop on tape - even up to selecting all the classic songs from 1994-1995. If it wasn't for the presence of Kim Basinger (way to classy to portray a trailer park mom) and Eminem (whose acting didn't add much for me), the movie could've easily passed as a good documentary.
Still, Eminem's presence and rhymes make the film work, and make the final twenty minutes classic. Even if you don't like rap music, you should see the movie for the final battle alone.