Dark, Inspirational Debut Drama From Eminem

Rating: Null/10 (14 September 2004)

"8 Mile", in its own right, is a towering achievement in reflecting the anguish, turmoil, survival, and fame of impoverished Detroit life. It is perhaps a personal account of Eminem's own struggles in discovering identity, in "losing himself" from the frustrations and injustices of his life in his music, in aspiring to break away from a "street nobody" to a vocal lyricist, lending his life experiences to his angry "rhymes". Yes indeed, this is an homage for anybody who has ever experienced constant affliction, deprivation, and discouragement, for anyone who is restrained from being themselves, who might finally receive a chance to stand up and "lose themselves". This is also very much a profile of poverty and its inhabitants, of crime and corruption and of surviving oppression and hopelessness. This is contemporary ghetto life in the slums of Detroit in a most explicit, honest presentation. The characters are irreverent, defiant, and infuriated, and it seems their only escape from their apparent despair lies in "the shelter", where they can relinquish all of their frustrations and perform "battle" with another, countering their conflictions through angry, relentless lyricism. Dark, enraged, and sometimes too dark and depressing, yet very inspirational, prolific study of poverty, confliction, and aspiration, in rising above adversities to achieve excellence. ***1/2 out of ****