An engrossing movie with a refreshing naturalism

Rating: 8/10 (9 November 2002)

No, I don't know exactly how realistic this movie was, or if it's likely a white guy would be tolerated as much as "Rabbit" was in the Detroit venues he frequented in the film. However, the movie had a naturalistic sense about it that did remind me of "Wonder Boys."
And Eminem can act! Who would have thought it? I thought he out-acted Kim Basinger in fact. There are lovely naturalistic touches to this film: Eminem making up a rap to the tune of "Sweet Home Alabama"; images of the depopulated and gritty streets of Detroit (who among us isn't fascinated by Detroit-- which has lost over 1 million residents since 1950-- and at the same time ashamed that the city doesn't get more assistance from our government and private charities in this supposedly prosperous nation); and the light banter between Rabbit and his friends. No, naturalism and realism aren't exactly the same. So I can't vouch for its authenticity, but no one associated with the film has maintained that it's an autobiography of Eminem's life.
It's not the best film of the year and there are parts of it I would have cut out (the scene in the radio station, for one, which added nothing to the plot-- in fact I would have taken most of that woman's scenes out and replaced them with more about Rabbit's ex-girlfriend, whose brief scene showed her to be a capable actress who probably would have proved to be a more interesting character), but the fact remains that it does hold together and provides a refreshing naturalistic counterpoint to most of the stilted Hollywood films of today.