Straight Outta Compton

Rating: 10/10 (22 August 2015)

Just like I commented on last year's film Selma, I feel that the new film Straight Outta Compton about the rise of the rap group N.W.A. and it's group members including Ice Cube and Dr. Dre, could not have come out at a more crucial time. The film does indeed work very well as a musical biopic of the group's rise to fame, but as well as being a powerful film about the lives of the members of this rap group, the film also touches on key issues that were happening in the late 80's and early 90's and that are still affecting America today. The film depicts police brutality and the racism of the police at that time toward the African American community. People being stopped on street corners and harassed by the police for doing absolutely no crime, or misdemeanor other than the fact that they were standing at the wrong place at the wrong time. The film also incorporates the famous beating of Rodney King by police officers into it's story as well and the film works just as powerfully as Selma, as a statement against racism and against the powers that be that are suppressing and promoting racism, but I would argue that out of the two films, Straight Outta Compton is the better film and while some may argue that this film glorifies violence and gang behaviour, I would instead argue that it definitely depicts the everyday lives of these people and shows how they have made themselves in a society full of violence, narcotics and racism and how they struggled against these things and still managed to come out on top as one of the world's most influential groups and that was very impressive to me. The film still does depict the violent and sometimes offensive lyrics of N.W.A. and shows people trying to live the gangster type of lifestyle, but I think at the same time that some of these people were definitely a product of their surroundings and the home environment and world where they came from and how the system and society around them was often times failing them, yet at the same time these men grew for the most part out of the stereotypes and made names for themselves. Another interesting aspect of the film that it touches upon is the whole issue of censorship and freedom of speech. As anyone familiar with the group's lyrics and public performances can tell you, the group and it's members were often getting themselves into trouble over their lyrics and content which later resulted in arrests and threats from the Federal Bureau of Investigation against the group. One song in particular that addresses the corrupt and racist nature of the police of that area around the time was a particular instigator. Yet again, these young men were saying through their own type of poetry and street wise language and commenting yet again on the here and the now and because there was so much racism in that area and the police were at times racial profiling and just brutal towards the African Americans, it is not surprising the that particular song was so powerful and almost in a sense became an anthem for young people at that time. The film when it works as a musical biopic is also very powerful and well done. All the usual elements are here including arguments amongst the group and the shady business people they encounter and the typical lavish and yet unscrupulous way of living that resulted from the tons of cash their music was bringing in. I was surprised at how well this film turned out and how much I loved it. Everything about the film was done right. The acting which was mostly from an unknown cast (except for Paul Giamatti was the group's manager) all deliver exceptional performances here and of the films I have seen so far this year, I would have to say that this film has the strongest acting and ensemble cast of any film that I have seen so far this year. So kudos to these up and coming actors as they really got their stuff together and knocked it out of the park performance wise. F. Gary Gray's direction was also very impressive to me. I wasn't sure how the film would look and turn out with him as a director, but I would say this is his finest accomplishment and best direction to date. The film is at times gritty and very suitable for it's urban setting and at other times can be flashy and lavish as these young men are taken out of the ghettos and moving into more established areas and also doting more money to their homes and way of life. Yet those earlier parts of their life still affect and are part of their lives which is another powerful point of the story and the film does a good job of balancing both worlds. The film while it is longer it length certainly breezes right past you and is certainly the most entertaining two and a half hour film I have seen in awhile and it is so involving and captivating that it feels like there is not a single wasted moment, or frame in this whole picture and the pace and rhythm of the film is just perfect. Straight Outta Compton works as the most entertaining film of the year so far definitely, but it also works on a social scale as well and delivers a message that was important at that time and is still incredibly relevant today and just as powerful also. One of this year's best films.