Silly and Ignorant...mediocre at best

Rating: Null/10 (17 November 2002)

I went to see "8 Mile" because of three reasons; 1. Curtis Hanson, the director, who also did the wonderful "LA Confidential." 2. Kim Basinger, who is both beautiful as well as a talented actor. 3. Rodrigo Pierto, the cinematographer, who also did the cinematography for the fabulous, gritty, Mexican film, "Amores Perros." But despite all these pros, the movie was a disappointment. The script was no more than serviceable, and had nothing original or interesting about it. The acting was good from Kim Basinger, but wow--she was so mis-cast that I was surprised--they tried their best to cover her amazing beauty with make up, wrinkles, and dirty clothes, to portray her as a drunken trailer-park mom, but it was obvious she was only a few years older than Eminem himself, and never could be his mom. Mekhi Phifer was by far the best actor in the film, but again, the script was so average that not even his acting abilities could show through the crap. The film centered on the baby-faced (I'm sure neither him nor his fans want to see him that way), wannabe tough-guy Eminem who slowly ruins nearly every positive relationship he has around him, and then has to go back and apologize. During all this conflict, I kept wondering to myself...why should I care whatsoever about some poor white kid that wants to rap and who can't seem to express himself clearly? Besides all this, I dislike rap completely, but believe Eminem to be someone who is changing the music--he doesn't center on girls, cars, and jewelry, and seems to stay true to himself. But I was disappointed to see that the only rapping in the film takes place in the desperately dark and grungy clubs where ignorant verbal battles take place to gain respect in the terd-of-a-neighborhood. The rappers go at it one after the other in these clubs, and the audience eventually chooses who's insults they liked the best.
SPOILERS__ And by the end of the film, we see Eminem win the rap contest and walk back to work. The film seemed too long in the first place because of the lack of action and the horrible dialogue, but by the end the audience needed more--it was too suggestive. The "MC Bob" character was really clichÃ© and stupid--he was the classic "Hollywood" character in these big dramatic films starring someone famous who provides the Jester-like comic relief. He's so annoying that at one point he shoots himself in his groin, and all we can do is laugh at the stupidity of it all. By the end you will leave unsatisfied and wondering--how else could I have spent that $10? I wouldn't even see this again on video. Eminem and Curtin Hanson are money-obsessed sellouts that never should be forgiven for this level of crap. And that's all I gots to say.