Convincing and entertaining...

Rating: 7/10 (8 November 2002)

...though sticking to a certain music-movie formula, and not sticking to the total truth of Eminem- the atmosphere that he must of felt in those days in Detroit's slums is excellently captured by director Curtis Hanson, and the rap scenes are finite, but non-fans of Eminem who see this movie may get the wrong impression about him, and fans and observers of his last three albums (like I) will see that he skewers much of his material. For instance, the relationships between his mother (Kim Basinger) and pregnant girlfriend are not what Marshall dealt furiously about on his 2nd and 3rd albums.
Having said that, I enjoyed 8 Mile, as that it doesn't go for cheap emotions, and Jimmy "Rabbit" Smith's misery and frustrations are projected splendidly by Eminem, since this is basically a version of how he made it- he starts off in a trailer, clothes in a garbage bag and a car that breaks down constantly, but has a gift to come at people at the right times with rhymes. I even thought (in a sense) that Basinger did a decent job with Rabbit's mother, and she doesn't seem too much like a Hollywood starlet here.
Bottom line, fans of Eminem and those who identify with the underground Detroit lifestyle will have a captivating couple of hours with Mr. Shady on screen, and maybe others will too. However, fans of Hanson should know this isn't his best picture. Grade: B+