Classic Film Review #25: 8-Mile

Available on Netflix

Great musical biopics are few and far between and though Curtis Hanson’s 8-Mile doesn’t entirely meet either of those criteria, it does succeed in being an entertaining and believable account of a great musician’s formative years.

While Scott Silver’s screenplay is not completely autobiographical, it does draw on many of Eminem’s real-life experiences growing up on the borderline of Detroit’s titular racial divide. To bring those happenings to life, 8-Mile needs a convincing performance from its lead actor and the rapper more than exceeds expectations on that front, making for a compelling screen presence throughout.

Neither Hanson or Silver break new ground in their structuring of this picture, with the arc of its central character drawing similarities with that of any underdog story, but a safety-first approach to storytelling can be forgiven when it culminates in a scene as memorable as 8-Mile’s final rap battle.

Put simply, it is Eminem at its finest and something that, over 20 years after the film’s original release, provides an ample reminder of his immense, generational talent as a wordsmith.