Straight Outta Compton is thunderous, provocative, in-your-face drama; an
unflinching portrayal of life in the southeast Los Angeles neighborhood that
gave birth to the Watts Riots and gansta' rap. What makes the biopic film work so well is the intimate backstory of kids and parents battling the evil forces of one of the poorest urban hoods in the United States. But even more, it's the heroic achievement of a handful of homeboys who refuse to give up their dream and create a new
genre of music to express the anger seething throughout the film. All become household
names...Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, MC Ren, Snoop Dog, Shuge Knight, Dj Ella, and Eze-E.
The tragic events, large and small, that go hand-in-hand with poverty,
gang dominance, and cops quick to judge or shoot, are portrayed in raw,
realistic scenes hard to take. But there are also moments of tenderness and heartbreak
that make you care for at least some of these kids and others like them. You want them to win, but let's face it, they're born into a quagmire. They'd better learn survival skills fast, because they die if they blink at the wrong time.
The
challenges of breaking from family and striving to make something of yourself are
familiar, even if the setting, rage, and threats are foreign, which they aren't to many
of the film's audience. With current news coverage of police shootings, the content is
undeniable, its statement political. In one scene, the rap group's self-serving
manager, Jerry Heller (Paul Giamatti), hastily berates a cop who's forced his clients
face down on the sidewalk. Because they were standing outside a recording studio during
their break, they were up to no good. Fortunately, the cop doesn't
take it out on the boys or Heller, but the incident fans the flames of their lyrics. With success and wealth, the group known as N.W.A. doesn't shy away from guns, violence, throbbing sex parties, and insider fights that toss them down a rabbit hole of ever-morphing tragedies. Making the film was nearly as tough as living it, according to at least one reviewer.
This is a strong dose of reality with a punch to the gut. You can avoid it or
take it in. I found it stunning, for the good, the bad, and the ugly portrayed.
Fascinating and disturbing, the backstory is ongoing. Nominations
surely. Awards, possibly.
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