Not the Real Slim Shady

Rating: 3/10 (9 November 2008)

After the classic "Slim Shady" and "Marshall Mathers" LPs, Eminem hit the Hollywood show biz button with "The Eminem Show" (album) and "8 Mile" (film). The film is tailor made for the White Rapper. Eminem (as Jimmy "B Rabbit" Smith) blows a "Rap Battle", hangs with his Detroit 'hoodies, and nails slutty Brittany Murphy (as Alex). Eminem wants to be a Big Rap Star. He lives with trailer park trashy mother Kim Basinger (as Stephanie) and lil' blonde sista Chloe Greenfield (as Lily). Ms. Basinger gets to say the line, "Greg won't go down on me." Word way up...
Curiously, Eminem does not sport his familiar (at the time) short, bleached do; instead, he wears a knit hat over more natural brown locks. Eminem doesn't contribute any rent money, but he works hard. He is careful to avoid drugs, unlike boozy mother Basinger. Who knew Detroit's "8 Mile" was so drug free? The soundtrack highlights are "Lose Yourself" and a fun rap-up of Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama", which comes off better here than on "youtube". Still, Eminem's pre-Hollywood studio work is much more highly recommended than this semi-autobiographical movie sanitization.
*** 8 Mile (2002) Curtis Hanson ~ Eminem, Kim Basinger, Brittany Murphy