• Title: Straight Outta Compton
• IMDb: link

Straight Outta Compton is pretty straightforward as far as music biopics go. Produced by members of the band, who at this point have long put aside the differences that produce much of the conflict over the movie’s 147-minute running time, Straight Outta Compton does deliver on an inside look at the rise and implosion of N.W.A. and the individual careers the breakthrough group launched. However, it also takes a bit too much care to make sure no one (with the exception of California law enforcement) comes off too poorly once all is said and done. I get the feeling had the film been made when emotions were at their peak the movie might more resemble the group’s music and be more emotionally raw offering audiences a starker look at life behind-the-scenes.

One of the biggest strengths of director F. Gary Gray‘s film is the cast (O’Shea Jackson, Jr. as Ice Cube, Corey Hawkins as Dr. Dre, Jason Mitchell as Eazy-E, Aldis Hodge as MC Ren, Neil Brown, Jr. as DJ Yella, R. Marcos Taylor as Suge Knight, and Paul Giamatti as Jerry Heller) most of whom bare a striking resemblance to their real-world counterparts and sell us on the complicated relationships of the group and their musical ability.

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