Straight Outta Compton

The biopic of one of West Coast rap's pioneering groups, N.W.A, has finally been released. It was on the table for a few years, with John Singleton ("Boyz n the Hood", "Poetic Justice") attached, but as the screenplay came together, it wasn't a good fit, and F. Gary Gray ("Friday", "The Italian Job") took over. "Straight Outta Compton" was the debut record for who in retrospect is essentially a rap super-group. Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, Eazy-E, MC Ren, and DJ Yella comprise the controversial and innovative friends and unlikely collaborators who turned the music scene on its head in 1988, and sparked a new genre, influencing the legendary likes of Tupac Shakur, Snoop Dogg, Ice-T, Eminem, and Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, among others.

Rap wasn't mainstream in America until the late 1980's. It had pockets of followers on the coasts, but racial and socioeconomic tension was bubbling to a head, and the poor minorities weren't being heard. N.W.A gave a voice to the masses, and it wasn't received well by authorities. In the time of Rodney King, the Watts Riots, and rampant gang warfare, N.W.A was much more than just a quintet of rappers.

The film purports to be about the three most recognizable names and faces, but really centers on Eazy-E (Eric Wright, played by Jason Mitchell), who for all intents and purposes, was the face of the group. Although Ice Cube (O'Shea Jackson, played by O'Shea Jackson, Jr.) was the lyricist, and Dr. Dre (Andre Young, played by Corey Hawkins) was the brains and the producer who made the dynamic group so successful, Eazy-E is the emotional center.. The group deals with the pitfalls of sudden fame, the mixed emotions of their old and new lives, and the hope of a more equitable and just future. The police brutality is highlighted, but played out without excessive drama, which I must give props to the screenwriters and director for their tact in that regard. The relationships of the men, however, remain the heart and soul of the vehicle. With tendrils reaching to all areas of hip hop, and recognizable names dropped throughout, the film is a welcome trip down memory lane, particularly with the doppelganger O'Shea playing his father with near perfect expression and clarity (think angry-faced Ice Cube). Paul Giamatti is perhaps the only recognizable actor in the film, as the questionable manager, Jerry Heller, and although his acting was solid, I just couldn't stop seeing him in a variety of his other roles. I think he was mis-cast, and that is really my only complaint of the entire film. At a lengthy two and a half hours, it almost doesn't seem to give the story proper justice. There is so much ripe material, and so many successes and tragedies connected through the magic of the time and the place. It could have gone on for another hour, which means that they weren't able to get to everything important.

N.W.A were visionaries for their time, pushing boundaries particularly with law enforcement and the First Amendment. They were endeared and embraced by their community in South Central Los Angeles, but more importantly, they exposed suburban white America to the raw and unapologetic plight of their lives. "Straight Outta Compton" is an excellent look at the historic rise of a musical genre, and the director and writers offer up a profound and unexplored look at a type of film that hasn't been explored before.

Although biopics are all the rage in Hollywood, this is a deserving story that is certainly worth watching, even if you're not familiar with the back story. Well written, well acted, and well directed. 9/10.