Straight Outta Compton Review
R: Language Throughout, Strong Sexuality/Nudity, Violence, and Drug Use
Universal Pictures, New Line Cinema, Legendary Pictures, Cube Vision
2 hrs and 27 Minutes
Cast: O' Shea Jackson, Corey Hawkins, Jason Mitchell, Aldis Hodge, Neil Brown, Paul Giamatti, with R. Marcus Taylor, and Keith Stienfield
Editor’s Note: This review was originally published during my adolescence. Outdated language might be seen in these old posts. Since then, my thoughts and values have grown. This review is being presented as they were originally written, grammatical errors, shitty sentence structure, and typos galore. Because to do otherwise would be that same as claiming these flaws never existed.
BACKSTORY: Tuesday August 11th I attend a special screening of Straight Outta Compton and was giving a Tshirt since I was one of the lucky winners from Power 105.1. I took my friend and together we watched the film.
STORYLINE: In 1987, five young men, using brutally honest rhymes and hardcore beats, put their frustration and anger about life in the most dangerous place in America into the most powerful weapon they had: their music. Taking us back to where it all began, Straight Outta Compton tells the true story of how these cultural rebels-armed only with their lyrics, swagger, bravado and raw talent-stood up to the authorities that meant to keep them down and formed the world's most dangerous group, N.W.A. And as they spoke the truth that no one had before and exposed life in the hood, their voice ignited a social revolution that is still reverberating today.
REVIEW: For decades we have seen an ample amount of biopics based on famous musical artists. Most of them were good but not really all that fun I mean a year ago Get on Up was released and that was an okay film. It was good, but it wasn't really all that fun. With F. Gary Gray's Straight Outta Compton, you get one of the most genuinely moving biopics since Steven Spielberg's Lincoln. This director has come a long way since the first Friday, by having this be a fearless and gritty fresh take on the world's most infamous rap groups. There are sequences that are filmed with such intensity and style. With the NWA you have a lot of group members from Eazy E, to MC Ren, Dr. Dre. and Ice Cube and the film does service to all of it's members. You get background scenes of E in his drug dealing business, Cube writing raps, Dre spinning records for his job and so on and so forth. Each actor is equally amazing in their roles and have a very distinct nearly equivalent look to their counterparts which is extremely rare (with the exception of Keith Steinfield playing Snoop Dogg cause he doesn't look like him at all). You have O'Shea Jackson playing his father and does even the motion of his walk flawlessly. This is the only good time to put nepotism is Hollywood. With this film you get the harsh yet realistic display of living in Compton with the gun firing and racist police brutality. Nearly every 3 scenes there's some type of fight or standoff or police brutality, but that's how crazy the setting was and probably still is. What makes it so amazing is that you can relate the events you see happening in the scenes starting from the late 80s to the present times we live in now. With a movie like this and it's nearly 3 hr length, you're either going to love the 1st or 2nd half better than the other. There is a clear division of when the movie separates itself and it's tone which makes it a bit uneven. The first half of when the NWA is formed and how several songs are made with their own background is fun. When the second half is bought up you're introduced to infamous rappers who made their way in the 90s and how different labels are formed and NWA breaking up. When it all ties together it makes for a very strong finale that is both emotional and uplifting. You might say it even ties into Dr. Dre's newest album Compton. The film does hit some generic beats, but they're real life choices that people make and you can't judge small things like that.
LAST STATEMENT: Straight Outta Compton is a masterful biopic that most should strive to be. It's a film that doesn't lack fear and edge, but still maintains heart thanks to the brilliant cast and direction.
Rating: 4.5/5 | 90%
Super Scene: Where's Felicia?
