The chorus of “Lose Yourself,” the lead single from the soundtrack to 8 Mile, begins with Eminem rapping “You only get one shot …”
The incorrigible Marshall Mathers lands his shot at big-screen glamour, with a better than expected performance in 8 Mile. This semi-biographical pic tells the story of Jimmy Smith Jr. (Eminem), a young rapper known as Bunny Rabbit, attempting to use his rhymes to escape the slums of Detroit.
Playing his role from experience, Eminem portrays the frustrated and angry Smith remarkably well. Director Curtis Hanson does a wonderful job depicting life in the run-down ghettos of Detroit, and Kim Basinger gives one of the most convincing performances of her career as Smith’s irresponsible white-trash mother.
Young Rabbit’s story begins when he chokes in an emcee open-mic contest at the local hip-hop hangout the Shelter. After dumping his pregnant girlfriend, B-Rabbit packs up his belongings in a garbage sack and moves in with his dysfunctional mother at the 8 Mile Road Mobile Park.
Rabbit surrounds himself with a group of supportive friends who believe in his skills and think he is rap’s version of the Great White Hope.
Eventually, he finds a love interest (Brittany Murphy) and an unnecessarily long sex scene ensues.
After his initial defeat, Rabbit returns to the Shelter to compete for the freestyling championship. The film’s climax finds B-Rabbit battling for lyrical supremacy against the leader of his gang’s rival rhyme-slinging crew, leading up to a rather unsatisfying ending.
As usual, Eminem silences his critics, acting almost as well as he spits out homophobic slurs. With the help of a surprisingly strong supporting cast, he brings a high level of believability to the film’s plot, making 8 Mile worth the price of admission.
