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8 Mile (November 11, 2002)
At first glance, the coupling of Eminem and Curtis Hanson is a little unusual: Hanson, a 57 year-old filmmaker with some good (“Wonder Boys”), bad (“Losin’ It”), and Oscar gold (“L.A. Confidential”) in his past, meeting Eminem, the wildly outspoken 30 year-old rapper sitting on a stack of platinum albums, yet retaining very little respect from anybody outside of the upper deck. But even with the odd couple pairing, the two have come together to form “8 Mile,” an unlikely but wholly entertaining film that should silence all those who object to either of these two artists’ penchants for monkey business.
Jimmy “Bunny Rabbit” Smith (Eminem), is a working class kid growing up in the gloomy side of Detroit. Driven by his desire to rap alongside the greats, Rabbit fights his way daily through life’s complications including his destitute mother (a miscast Kim Basinger) and 5 year-old sister, a dead-end factory job, a pregnant girlfriend (Taryn Manning, “Crossroads“), his friends (Mekhi Phifer, “ER”) who dream of success, yet make no moves to achieve it, and a distraction in the form of a strange young woman (Brittany Murphy, “Girl, Interrupted“), who is taken with Rabbit’s talents. Rabbit’s hope for greater success lies in the form of a weekly rap contest. Faced with steep odds, Rabbit fights his way for a chance at respect and for his voice to be heard in the brutal neighborhood known as “8 Mile.”
One of the main surprises of “8 Mile” is just how ingratiating a film it is. Eminem is known globally as the wicked prince of rap, yet this film is evenly layered with comedy, performance, sexuality, and a free spirit I assume will catch most by surprise. It also lacks any finely toned nuance in favor of a bigger, less ambiguous story of an underdog’s journey into the light. This suits the movie just fine, as its thickly drawn thematic colors allow the audience to sympathize more with the characters and their situations. “8 Mile” is unsophisticatedly written by Scott Silver (“The Mod Squad”), but it’s wisely simplistic in its goals, making for a better film than anything overtly-ambitious would bring. You can’t fault a film where the ultimate message is to go after your dreams, and I enjoyed the hell out of this tale of a little white kid trying to make his way in the big bad world.
“8 Mile” wouldn’t be half as good without Hanson at the helm. Employing his usual “location pornography” aesthetic, Hanson lets the viewer see the desolate sights of Detroit, inhale the crumbling decay, and hear the tiny heart of desire coming out of the residents’ mouths when they freestyle. Submersive location work is a Hanson specialty, and his intimate take on the 8 Mile area adds a lot to the film’s flavor and a little to its authenticity. It rivals his handiwork in “L.A. Confidential” and “Wonder Boys” in terms of just feeling as if you’re there with the characters. If Hanson can get a little flighty with his filmmaking decisions (friendship is the only reason I can think of to explain Kim Basinger’s appearance in this film), he makes up for it in ambiance and locales.
All eyes are, and should be, on Eminem with this, his first staring role in a major motion picture. He earns points right off the bat by not appearing in a film with Jet Li or Steven Seagal, or making some kind of rap “comedy,” as most of his colleagues do. “8 Mile” is a more soulful piece, and it allows Eminem to hide behind the layers of the story rather than being forced out front and center. Can he act? Well, sort of. He certainly is passionate, and Hanson wisely chooses to make Rabbit something of a silent witness to the madness around him. He lets Eminem’s eyes do all the acting, and that is a marvelous choice. Saving his outbursts for the freestyle battle sequences, Eminem uses his substantial rapping gifts to full effect, and it’s there that you can’t take your eyes off the screen. Besides, it’s so much better to see an amiable Eminem, than the button-pushing monster he normally takes pleasure in being. Surrounded by a good cast of young talents, including a career-best turn by Mekhi Phifer, and the nuclear-bomb lustiness of the always good Brittany Murphy, Eminem is well insulated from any moments of embarrassment. As first steps go, this is one of the better ones by a major hip-hop player.
I think the climax of “8 Mile” does get away from Hanson a little bit. Presented like the final round of “Rocky,” it has all the surprise of “Rocky IV.” You can’t blame Hanson, really, as the energy of the film is bursting at the seams by this point, and we need to see Rabbit throw down as promised. But the scene overcomes its formulaic roots as the emotional aggression of the contest, with its rabid put-downs packaged to go in tiny cubes of rhythmic hatred, make it one spectacular way to close the picture. “8 Mile” is appealing, unexpected, and picturesque in a disturbing way. Hey, you just might find yourself bobbing your head to Rabbit’s beat on the way out of the theater
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