Straight Outta Compton just goes to show how big rap and hip hop music has become. Unfortunately it also highlights how little American society has changed since the 80s and 90s. Let's dig in for a history lesson and a dose of brotherly love...
Whether one was (is) a fan of NWA is irrelevant to appreciating what F. Gary Gray has done in this movie. The man has a strong track record shooting music videos - he's the same dude who shot the movie Friday and worked as a music video director during the time this film is set in.
He has been able to create a beautiful film that does not feel like a music video. The story could have easily been flashy visuals, music video and dotted with plot points along the way but credit to Gray and his writing team for giving us a story.
A story that is subtly told through Easy-E, played wonderfully by Jason Mitchelle - I honestly believe his performance to be Oscar worthy. How Mitchel transforms himself into Easy but also captures all the emotional heart beats of the man, is incredible. This dude can can emote - he can give Easy the hard nut sensitive edge.
A lot has been said about Dre and Cube casting their spawns in this movie, who are really decent, but Mitchel is dead centre the mainstay of this movie. Speaking of casting... Gray did a great job in getting actors who closely resemble the the real life characters from 2Pac to Suge Knight to be in this film. For those of us who grew up in the 80s and 90s there's some fun in seeing these guys being recreated on screen.
I'd like to believe Dre and Ice Cube, who also are credited as the executive producers, meaning they put money into making this movie, deliberately made the film to be slanted towards Easy. Which they have to be commended for.
There's a lot of love in this movie, which kinda reminded me of the love on display on Boyz n the Hood. The story of young man bonding together to create something great and being led astray by greed and ego is very touching. The only man I felt sorry for in this movie is MC Ren who is relegated to sidekick status.
With the current Black Lives matter and what's happening with the police in the US, Straight Outta Compton, with its Rodney King references and police brutality, literally shows that the US has not changed much when it comes to how the black society is treated by the police.
It's very telling that something set in the late 80s and early 90s can have such a heavy resonance with the current situation with policing in modern day USA - it's an indictment on Obama's administration.
I really loved this movie, it's funny, it's insightful, it has great performances and it has young black kids chasing their dreams and not letting any excuse stop them from achieving those dreams. What is there not to love about that?
Rating ****
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* Junk **only if theres nothing better on tv ***now we getting somewhere **** Almost perfect *****Instant Classic