Gripping and powerful portrayal of a legendary rap group

Rating: 10/10 (30 August 2015)

It was 1987 when the legendary rap group N.W.A took the nation by storm with their astonishing hardcore rap performances that redefined the genre of rap. This gripping and powerful biopic tells the story of the five young men: Dr. Dre (Corey Hawkins) Ice Cube (O'Shea Jackson Jr, Ice Cube's real-life son), Easy-E (Jason Mitchell), MC Ren (Aldis Hodge) and DJ Yella (Neil Brown Jr.), growing up in the ghetto streets of Compton, California, and forming their rap band known as N.W.A. With the help of their manager Jerry Heller (played by Paul Giamatti), the group becomes an smash-hit success and begin performing on a nationwide tour. While the group makes their way into massive fame, they also become a target to the law enforcement agency who condemns their music as acts of defiance. This film follows how this group on their success and how they left a long-lasting legacy on the music industry.
The story behind this genre-defining rap group is quite fascinating and definitely deserves a movie deal. This film brings an incredible amount of energy to the story, and the narrative is so riveting and engaging that it strongly grabs your attention. It begins with the five young men who are struggling with their home lives and having frequent run-ins with law authorities and gang members, and it authentically depicts their lives in the violent streets of Compton. The best example would shown in an unnerving scene with Ice Cube on the school bus. The story then dives into the start of the group's career. As the story goes on, we watch as the characters rise to fame, but then gain unwanted attention by the law enforcement agency in the process. The agency becomes highly offended by their music, claiming it to influence gangs, violence, and crime, and begin taking legal actions on the group as well as their manager. The group responds by claiming that their music reflects on the reality that they are living in. The film has some comedic moments and dialogue that will have you laughing, then there are some dramatic moments that could have you choked up as well as some thought- provoking moments like the depiction of the 1992 Los Angeles riots and the beating of Rodney King.
The cast brings some outstanding performances as the N.W.A members. I was particularly impressed with O'Shea Jackson Jr, who is the real- life son of Ice Cube. It's very interesting to see him portray his father. The cast brings such incredible energy to their characters with not only their acting, but their rapping performances; especially during the scenes when they performing live. The film's soundtrack really leaves a strong impact, particularly the song "F@#% Da Police".
Straight Outta Compton is quite a powerful film and maybe one of the most captivating biopic films I've seen in a long time. Complete with superb performances, enthralling storytelling, and a killer soundtrack, this movie is certainly a must-see and guaranteed to do huge at the box office. Even if you are not a fan of the band or the rap genre in general, this film is still worth your attention.