As it turns out, it's a sports movie.
When word leaked that rapper Eminem was the subject of a semi-autobiographical star vehicle directed by L.A. Confidential's Curtis Hanson, the general assumption was that 8 Mile would be a gritty tale of the violent, angry streets of Detroit from which the artist gleaned his violent, angry lyrics.
Not quite.
Instead, 8 Mile is nothing more than a fist-pumping, crowd-pleasing sports movie in the tradition of Rocky, The Program and Varsity Blues. It's a pretty entertaining one, though.
Instead of an athletic competition, 8 Mile's arena is the performing arts -- specifically "battling," a Motown tradition that involves two rappers railing each other with their rhymes onstage in front of an uproarious crowd that is anything but forgiving.
Screenwriter Scott Silver does a nice job of de-glamorizing the superstar early for those in the audience expecting to see the invincible Slim Shady instead of troubled, young Jimmy Smith, Jr., nicknamed "Rabbit."
In the first scene, a nervous Rabbit practices his rhymes in front of a bathroom mirror before becoming so overwhelmed with anxiety he vomits in the toilet. In his ensuing battle, he freezes up onstage unable to utter a single syllable in front of the unforgiving crowd.
So begins Rabbit's journey from zero to hero, the same journey ventured by Rocky Balboa, Maximus and The Mighty Ducks. And, like those heroes, Rabbit has to deal with a lot of things besides battling that get in the way of his dreams.
For one thing, he's just moved back in with his mother -- after a break with his girlfriend -- to find her romancing a jobless, brainless, beer-guzzling goon who's so young Rabbit went to school with him.
Kim Basinger, as Rabbit's mother, practically steals the show with a performance so bleak and tortured it completely turns her glamorous image on its side.
Rabbit's only relief from his troubles comes from his goofy friends and his little sister, Lily, whose serene, sky-blue eyes he longs to shield from the same violence he grew up witnessing.
His friends are one-dimensional, unfortunately -- portraying the token political-minded friend, and the fat friend, among others. None are more objectionable, however, than the monumentally obnoxious Cheddar Bob (Evan Jones), whose persistent buffoonery leads one to wonder why Rabbit and his crew would ever hang out with him.
His two completely opposite friends are The Future (Mekhi Phifer) and Wink (Eugene Byrd). Both seem as if their prime motivation in life is to help Rabbit be successful. Wink is trying to get Rabbit airtime on the local radio station, while The Future is intent on Rabbit having another shot at the battles.
When Wink and The Future argue late in the film, it almost comes off as a couple feuding over what's best for their child. What makes them so inexplicably interested in Rabbit's future remains unexplained.
The love interest, Alex (Brittany Murphy), is one of those classic-movie female leads who can occupy endless amount of screen time mugging at Rabbit with a suggestive smile. It is supposed to make her look mysterious and alluring, but she comes off looking dazed and confused more than anything else.
Alex is responsible for one of the better strides against cliché the movie provides, however. While most movie couples require a long courting process leading up to a slow, gentle lovemaking scene serenaded by romantic background music, Rabbit and Alex just hook up in a shady corner of the stamping plant where he works. The awkwardly wonderful scene manages to be realistic without the distracting eroticism inherent in most cinematic sex scenes.
The finale, like all good sports movie finales, is a pure adrenaline boost, inviting audiences to join in the excitement of the climactic showdown where Rabbit faces his fears by battling his rivals with his infamous biting lyrics.
The movie leaves several loose ends but not necessarily in a negative way. Rabbit is still figuring things out at the end and doesn't have all the answers, so naturally, neither do we. But it sure is an exciting ride.
Grade: B
