Rating of
3.5/4
"Damn, That Sh*t Was Dope!"
Unknown - wrote on 08/18/15
'Straight Outta Compton' is the latest high profile musical biopic. The story hits the genre beats you'd expect: rags-to-riches, excess lifestyle, breaking up, and some form of tragedy to end on. While those points are hit, they aren't presented in the most by-the-book fashion. There's no escaping the Hollywood quota to gloss over certain factual elements, but the film does this to a somewhat lesser extent. The producers (Dr. Dre and Ice Cube) definitely kept a hard real life edge to the material as much as possible. Though, the final act does drag a bit towards the end when most scenes become comprised of one-off situations that felt included just because they previously took place. It almost gave the feeling of a 'Behind the Music' type show. If so, then it's the best one I've seen! These gripes are only minor at best. This movie is so damn entertaining that I'd still enjoy it even if those few negatives were amplified. The stellar writing, directing, and acting really make this one shine! It did feel like I was experiencing these events along side the group. I loved the earlier scenes showing their reasonings for banding together through shared troubles, as well as their in-studio recording process. The recreation of live performances are some of the most engaging I've seen in a movie. They manage to harness the energy felt from those who actually witnessed it. Almost every aspect was authentic to the time period. An emotionally charged political backdrop concerning the unfair treatment of African Americans by police authorities is carried through the whole film. Many scenes of prolonged standoffs build ample tension that continuously fuel the artistic fire of the main characters and the passion of the film itself. The tension is built and sustained better than most horror movies these days. This overall theme still resonates in today's culture, making it a prevalent statement worth hearing. 'Straight Outta Compton' is so well made and entertaining that everyone (including non-rap fans) will enjoy it on some level. It's best described by the film's most used quote: "That sh*t was dope!".
