8 Mile (2002)

Aspiring rapper and white boy, Jimmy "B-Rabbit" Smith (Eminem) is from the wrong side of Detroit's 8 Mile. Jimmy struggles with the knowledge that he is better than his meager surroundings. His life takes a turning point when Jimmy decides to confront the fear that has held him captive for so long.

This is not normally a film genre that I would choose, but given the current Relapse by Eminem, I decided to examine the fictional tale of B-Rabbit that is based upon the rapper's own upbringing. Never has a film felt so empty and bleak.

8 Mile plays dark, gritty, and with an overwhelmingly emptiness that one struggles to cope with. Eminem gives a solid performance as B-Rabbit and quite frankly, shadows the true actors here. The rapper wears a badge of frustration and anger at life in general. It's a beautiful character study--you can see the hardship written across his face, carried on his shoulders, and tattooed on his heart. Kim Basinger, Brittany Murphy, and Mekhi Phifer support. All are adequate, but this genuinely is Eminem's show.

Kudos to director Curtis Hanson (Adaptation, The River Wild, L.A. Confidential) for retaining an authenticity--like I would know anything about that. The essence of the film is ugly, again bleak, is the preferred descriptor. From the ground up, Detroit/8 Mile feels oppressive, cold, bitter, and lonely. These are essential components as our protagonist thrives on those feelings to create his outlet.

Of course, the soundtrack is true to the genre. The rhythms of 'Lose Yourself' are woven throughout the film.

As I see it, 8 Mile is a solid film examining {for me} of a perplexing genre of music--how can such raw emotion and ugly lyrics exploding over simple beats be cathartic to a generation? Interesting. In another twenty years, just you wait, 8 Mile will stand alongside Purple Rain and Saturday Night Fever as an unforgettable soundtrack.