The true story of hip-hop super-group N.W.A., who emerged from the
streets of Compton to revolutionize the music industry and rap culture. BIOPIC/DRAMA
|
Straight Outta Compton (2015)Directed by F. Gary Gray
Written by Jonathan Herman and Andrea Berloff Starring O'Shea Jackson Jr., Corey Hawkins, Jason Mitchell, Neil Brown Jr., Aldis Hodge, Paul Giamatti, R. Marcos Taylor, Carra Patterson Oscar Nominations - Best Original Screenplay |
Straight Outta Compton is one of the most incredible biopics I have ever seen. It shows the raw talent of N.W.A. while simultaneously showing the brutal mentality of the L.A.P.D. and the struggles that rap superstars Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, and Eazy-E dealt with to become the iconic musicians they are today. This film is gonna make waves, mark my words.
First of all, I must praise the absolutely stellar performances from O'Shea Jackson Jr., Corey Hawkins, and Jason Mitchell who portrayed the big three. These three unknowns captured the spirit of Ice Cube, Dre, and Eazy-E tremendously, and deserve nothing but respect for their performances. Paul Giamatti did a fantastic job too, as N.W.A.'s manager Jerry Heller. Straight Outta Compton meshed the revolutionary music of N.W.A. with the drama of their behind-the-scenes problems perfectly. F. Gary Gray also handled Eazy-E's tragic death due to AIDS with respect, showing how loved the artist was by his fans and his friends. I was moved to tears and I applaud this film for delivering such a powerful emotional punch. I believe Straight Outta Compton is on track to becoming one of the best films of 2015. From the killer tunes rapped flawlessly by the actors to the realistic depictions of 1990's police brutality and the L.A. riots, this film is a rare biopic that tells a story that needed to be told. The story of five kids from Compton who changed rap music forever. |
There are biopics, and then there is Straight Outta Compton. This is the biopic movie that covers one of music's most dangerous groups as they take the world by force and become a voice for a young generation of aspiring rappers. It also doesn't shy away from the brutality of the cops in the Compton area and the struggles the group went through on their rise to superstardom. In the words of Ice Cube, "Yo Dre, I got something to say." This, my friends, is N.W.A.
The first thing I have to praise is the performances from the entire cast. O'Shea Jackson Jr., Corey Hawkins, and Jason Mitchell delivered phenomenal performances as the big three. They perfectly portrayed the raw emotion and intensity of Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, and Eazy-E. They easily came across as the living, breathing people instead of actors playings iconic musicians. Their performances are nothing short of Oscar worthy, to say the least. Paul Giamatti also delivered a solid performance as their sleaze ball manager, Jerry Heller. The second main thing I would like to praise is the concert scenes. These moments in the film perfectly captured N.W.A.'s stage presence and their growing popularity. This all comes together wonderfully in a standout scene when the police tell them not to sing a certain song before a concert. N.W.A. fans will know what song I'm speaking of. While a lot of critics critiqued the last act of the film, I highly enjoyed it. It was a nice emotional gut punch that wrapped the film up perfectly. I applaud the filmmakers for how they handled Eazy-E's death due to AIDS and using that moment to show just how loved he was by both his fans and friends. It really showed how much of an influence he had become. Straight Outta Compton is a phenomenal documentary on one of rap's most legendary groups. The performances are top notch, the concert scenes a treat, and the behind the scenes drama riveting. Add in the police brutality of the time, some dope tunes, L.A. riots, and cameos of other famous rappers; you have one of 2015's best films. The biopic that needed to be made with a story that needed to be told. A story of five young kids from Compton who would become legendary. |