8 Mile (Blu-ray)

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The world has been lacking when it comes to Marshall Mathers. He released his last studio album, "Encore" in 2004. Since then the multi-platinum artist has taken a break to raise his daughter and niece. He has dabbled around as a producer and been in the entertainment headlines for his rocky second marriage to Kim Mathers. "8 Mile" was released at the end of 2002 and Eminem has been rumored to star in the television update and big screen adaptation of "Have Gun Will Travel," but that project has either been stalled or canceled. Thankfully, 2009 bears witness to the Blu-ray release of his debut and partially autobiographical film "8 Mile" and the rapper will release two solo albums titled "Relapse" and "Relapse 2." Eminem has been missed and it has been a long five years, but guess who´s back?

There were more than a handful of people surprised when Marshall Mathers (aka Eminem) and director Curtis Hanson collaboration rocketed past the $50 million mark on its opening weekend and found itself grossing nearly $120 million before the end of its theatrical run. The name "Eminem" is nearly synonymous with controversy over the past couple of years and a vast number of the population had banked on "8 Mile" being a vanity piece for the rapper as "Cool as Ice" was for Vanilla Ice. Early buzz from the director and mega-producer Brian Grazer was that Mr. Mathers was a fine actor and he would be in the running come awards season. Most of this early buzz was dismissed as a propaganda war to expand upon the rappers built in audience. Nobody really expected Marshall Mathers and "8 Mile" to become one of the top films of the years and surely, nobody expected the film to take home an Oscar AND capture the record for the highest-selling R-Rated DVD release.

When I had first heard of Eminem, I was not impressed, and I stayed away from the hype and controversy. Eventually I was pulled his music when I stumbled across his album, "The Eminem Show." I am generally very critical of the rap world, but quickly found a liking to what Slim Shady had to say and it only took me a few seconds to realize that the Slim Shady alter-ego was a joke and was meant for show. I´ll avoid a discussion on the music of the man, but once I listened to the entire album a few times, 8 Mile quickly rose on my list of anticipated films and I was certainly in line on opening night to see if the film would be good or bad. Fortunately, I was able to secure some tickets via the Internet, because I never expected the show to be an opening smash and had I not done so, I would have had to wait another day to see the anticipated film. My anticipation was met and I will say now that I quickly found the film to be one of the year´s best.

"8 Mile" is loosely based on the life of Marshall Mathers. It takes place in the neighborhoods he grew up in and the lead character Jimmy Smith Jr. has a similar background to Mathers. In "8 Mile", Jimmy Smith is a white rapper known simply as B Rabbit. He struggles from job to job and finds himself moving back in with his mother (Kim Basinger). All Jimmy wants to do is make enough money to get his own place and find a way to make a good living for himself. His aspirations are set on a rap career and he hopes that battles at a club called the Shelter are his ticket to meet those aspirations. His friend Future (Mekhi Phifer) is in charge of the rap battles and does his best to help him along. Jimmy´s color is largely used against him in his attempt to become respected in the rap world. He inhabits a run-down dump of a world and it seems that the more he tries, the deeper shit he finds himself in.

This is a very good film and some props must be given to the talent behind the film. Eminem really is great in this film. With all of the controversy that has surround his career thus far and the heavy degree of dislike in his public perception, he comes across in "8 Mile" as a VERY likable person. It is very easy to find yourself rooting for him from scene to scene. His interaction with young actress Chloe Greengfield, who plays Jimmy´s sister Lily shows some of Mathers´ human side and his apparent relationship with his real-life daughter. He comes across as a sincere and caring person, who is street smart and not afraid of defending himself or those he cares for. Mekhi Phifer is another actor that dominates the screen with his presence. I expect to see more of Phifer in the future. As far as the actors go, Basinger was believable as white trash, but her accent became tiresome very quickly and the only downfall to the entire cast. I´m not exactly sure why Evan Jones and his character Cheddar Bob was necessary, but it did provide good comedic relief and offered Mathers a few times to show his compassion towards others.

Hanson and Eminem worked together nicely to bring the dregs of Detroit to the big screen. At one time, Detroit was the target of a plethora of jokes. It was said there was no worse place to be than Detroit. From watching "8 Mile," it looks as if Detroit really is the asshole of the world. In "8 Mile," Detroit becomes one of the characters of the film and its grittiness and toughness adds much to the picture. The world inhabited by Jimmy Smith and his friends is not a place anybody would ever want to be. Hanson gives credibility to the underground rap scene and his interaction with Mathers is quickly apparent and I cannot imagine that either could have made this film the success it is without the other. Hanson needed Eminem´s knowledge and background and the rapper needed the director´s skilled hand at crafting a solid motion picture.