Thanks Curtis Hanson!

Rating: 10/10 (12 November 2002)

Curtis Hanson is turning out to be one of our great directors. LA CONFIDENTIAL was a look at LA during the 1950's that was near perfection as far as films are concerned. WONDER BOYS was a highly entertaining look at characters who live in PITTSBURGH, again the city was as much a character as any of the actors.
Now Curtis brings us a look at DETROIT in 8 MILE and I was so impressed. Yes I am a fan of Eminem and yes I think he's cute (that combination of bad boy and lost little boy is just irresistible) but the movie is a quality drama which I think all audiences will appreciate if only they'd open their minds a little and go see it.
I was so happy to be in a theater with a mostly under 25 crowd (at 31 I was the oldest person in the place!) and we were there to watch a quality film about a kind of life that most of us can only imagine. The audience of young people were silent at first - the anticipation of Eminem's entrance was almost palpable. And throughout the film the audience continued to be engrossed by the realistic characters and the story. A whole audience entertained by drama and acting and not one special effect! Not one!
We weren't there to watch a stupid brainless action film or a gross-out comedy. 8 MILE is one of those classic films that most A-list actors can only hope to appear in maybe once or twice during a long career and it's the kind Eminem makes on his first time out? The boy has brains for sure and talent. I don't think the John Garfield, James Dean comparisons are too far off - Eminem has charisma to spare. I don't think I want to see him continue to do more acting because 98% of the films he could do are such crap. How do you follow up a truly great film like this?
I'm so impressed. I just hope that older people and hip-hop haters will get out and see this film too, it'll open their minds.