Well-Done and Convincing

Rating: 8/10 (24 January 2016)

8.5/10
I have been eager to see "Straight Outta Compton" since I first saw the trailers back in August. Despite having no knowledge on the subject of rap, hip-hop, or NWA, this movie attracted me, partially for the music, but even more so for the opportunity to gain a better understanding of life in real-life places like Compton, Los Angeles. The world that Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, and the rest of the members of NWA grew up in is as foreign to me as one from a sci-fi or fantasy movie. The difference? This sh*t is real.
My first praise for this movie has to go to the actors. Everyone in this movie does a remarkable job of bringing the story to life, and their passion and dedication really shows through. There were times I found that I had to remind myself that this was a movie, that's how good they were.
As for the movie itself: this is a beautiful story, and you don't have to love rap to appreciate or enjoy it (though I imagine it certainly helps). I often find rap music too crass and abrasive, and there are a lot of times that it is. However, this "reality rap" that NWA brought to the stage is something else. One of my favorite lines of the movie comes from Ice Cube (played by the REAL Ice Cube's son, O'Shea Jackson Jr.) when, during a press conference, he says "Our art is a reflection of our reality." This message is pertinent throughout the entire movie. Growing up in Compton has given these young men a very different world view, and while to most of America the song "F*** the Police" may seem disrespectful and ungrateful, seeing the way these men were targeted, attacked, and harassed by the police shows where that anger came from, and even it's justification.
"Straight Outta Compton" is both history and current events. While I would like to say that things are better now, there is no doubt that issues displayed in the movie are still present today. Police brutality/harassment, unnecessary force, racial profiling--we see these issues in the news far too often. And I would surprised if someone told me that the conditions in Compton have dramatically improved since the 80s. These are real struggles that people today are facing, and so the relevance of this film is undeniable.
This is a film about music, passion, dedication, ambition, overcoming adversity, injustice in the justice system, racial profiling, and life in dangerous areas. It is powerful and all too relevant.