Rating: B+
Straight Outta Compton tells the tale of rap's most influential and notorious rap group, N.W.A. Being a huge hip-hop fan, I very much looked forward to this film. From the first trailer, I was immediately enthralled with the story of how these guys changed the world. I'm a sucker for a good, dramatic, intense, biographical piece. And for the most part, Straight Outta Compton delivered that.
The acting in this film has to be recognized. At first, I thought O'Shea Jackson, Jr. being casted as his father was a horrible move. I thought it was the Will Smith "put my kids in my projects" move. Yet, this man can act. He did a decent job portraying his father Ice Cube. Corey Hawkins also did a great job with his Dr. Dre character. Yet, my favorite performance of the film was Jason Mitchell's. Mitchell played Eazy-E and did a spectacular job. He was absolutely phenomenal. Together, the chemistry between all three of these guys was incredible. You really believed they were all close friends trying to change the world. I'd argue the casting of these three roles was perfect. They all did fabulous jobs. Paul Giamatti also delivered a solid performance. He really elevated Mitchell's character and the near father/son bond the two had was done very well.
The script to this film was great. I have to give credit to Jonathan Herman and Andrea Berloff. The writing made me feel all types of emotions. The gravity of certain lines really helped tell a terrific story. Every line in this film served a purpose and I felt like there was nothing randomly added in. Everything in the script really help this movie flow along smoothly. Director F. Gary Gray put together a wonderful film. He really highlighted the N.W.A.'s pivotal moments and didn't try to circle around things. He addressed certain issues the group had and shed light on some darker moments. If I can call this film anything, I'd call it honest.
The issue with this film is simple. There's too much to tell with this story. The film ran for over two hours and there was still so much more left. Gray was faced with the task of putting in as much as he could. At times the movie did feel a little rushed to make sure everything got included. Certain moments were passed by very quickly just to fit everything. The third act did feel a little rushed just to make things work and to prevent this film from going to the three hour mark. This is an understandable issue and it really didn't hinder the film a whole lot in my opinion.
Despite what others think, I think Straight Outta Compton is a must-see. It's a compelling, funny, thrilling tale of how the N.W.A. conquered the rap industry. It's easily one of the most interesting films I've seen in a long time. The story is fantastic and I think the majority of movie goers will certainly enjoy this film.
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