The story of 8 Mile centers around the life struggles and aspiring rapping career of a young, poor, white male named Jimmy Smith aka Rabbit.

Rating: 9/10 (16 March 2011)

Rabbit is played by Martial Mathers, who is better known as the controversial rapper, Eminem. Kim Bassinger co-stars in the film as Rabbit's emotionally unstable mother, Stephanie. Brittany Murphy also co-stars as Rabbit's new girlfriend, Alex.
Rabbit grew-up in an unstable home on the wrong side of Detroit, Michigan with his alcoholic mother, where he still lives with his younger sister and his mother's young boyfriend whom Rabbit seriously does not get along with. Throughout the film there is the common, cliché feud of the opposing neighborhood crew that Rabbit and his friends feud with. In addition to these struggles, Rabbit deals with old girlfriend troubles and the start of the new relationship with Alex. Rabbit feels that his rapping skills are his only hope to escape the poverty, and hardships he is surrounded by. Rabbit makes various efforts to market his rap skills and prove him being white does not affect his musical ability, but he struggles to be accepted and respected by his local rap community. Do to this, and various other life problems, Rabbit begins to doubt himself.
The theme of this movie is if you want something in life to not let anyone, even your own your own self doubt, stop you from achieving your dreams. Despite various betrayals by those he trusted, family troubles and being violently jumped by his rivals, Rabbit must stay strong and not let these problems break him down and ruin his shot at his rap dream. This film, and its theme, are similar to popular films such as the movie Get Rich or Die Trying and Hustle n Flow. Both of these films are about young, poor men from the projects who fight to pursue their dream of becoming well-known and well-respected rappers.
The lighting and color of 8 Mile are dark, gray and gloomy which helps the viewer feel the dreary, sad emotions of Rabbit, and helps the viewer feel the sense of being stuck in the projects of Detroit, Michigan. The strong language and rap music used in this film are necessary to help the viewer understand, and to properly illustrate, the life style of Rabbit, and also to help the viewer understand his struggles and aspirations.
Unlike many films where musicians try to cross-over into the acting, Eminem was very believable portraying Rabbit. 8 Mile, and the story of Rabbit's pursuit to become a respected white rapper, does a great job of demonstrating that one's self-doubt can be their worst enemy, and a person should trust in themselves, and fight for what they want.