8 Mile DVD

Advantages: Good plotting, Excellent acting,
Disadvantages: Not suitable for young folks because of the frequent foul languages used.

In 8 mile, multi-platinum rapper Eminem plays Jimmy Smith, Jr., known to everyone (including his mum, played Kim Basinger) as Bunny Rabbit. Growing up in the “ghetto” area of Detroit, he dreams of making it big as a rapper. Only a few of his friends know that he has the potentials for his dreams to come true. His best pal “Future” (Mekhi Phifer) is the MC of a rap contest, wherein locals compete by insulting each other in the form of rhymes. Bunny’s ...
...his friends around Detroit. 8 mile is a not-really-but-kind-of biography of Eminem. Hanson, along with screenwriter Scott Silver and Eminem himself seem more interested in poking a sharpened stick at age motivations. 8 mile is an early 21st-century meditation on the youthful dream of making yourself heard and move away fast from the roots that threaten to strangle you. 8 mile is far less sophisticated than Eminem’s music itself. As the name implies, ... Read review

Advantages: Multi talented artist giving acting his best shot
Disadvantages: Weak plot lines

My first opinion on Ciao, back in July 2000 was for the Marshall Mathers album by Eminem. It was short (the opinion not the album) but witty and insightful and deserving of far more reads than it actually garnered from you philistines out there. Looking back I’m quite pleased that I recognised Eminem as a major talent before his popularity soared the way that it did, (I’m not saying that my Ciao review made him, but who knows) although, I didn’t ...
...excellence. Boy was I wrong on that one. Eminem has gone from strength to strength since then. The Eminem Show, the follow up to The Marshall Mathers album, was even better; there’s been an entertaining collaboration with D12, some hilarious pop videos and more awards than Homer Simpson at a school reunion. Oh, and a big hug and kiss from Elton John (no tongues). So where to go now, Marshall? You’re going to be an actor? Don’t do it, man. Hollywoods' ... Read review

Advantages: Giod storyline, good soundtrack, decent acting
Disadvantages: Language/sex scene may not be to everyone's taste...

...of the trailer park on 8 Mile Road in Detroit. That road marks a boundary between the inner city and the outer reaches of the city, a dividing line between the black and white urban populations, and also acts as a border between where Jimmy lives and works, and where he feels his future can be. He has split up with his girlfriend, who he suspects to be pregnant, and has to work soul-destroying shifts at the sheet metal pressing plant just to make ...
...(and participating in) rap ‘battles’ at various clubs around the city. Here, the best gangs of vocalists compete against each other in a vocal conflict, trying to come up with cutting, biting lines off the cuff, with the aim being to humiliate their opponents in front of a live audience. This freestyling is not the totally spontaneous act that it may seem, however, as you see Jimmy at the start of the film frantically trying to recall ... Read review

Advantages: Well acted, realistic portrayal of life in poor America
Disadvantages: Sex scenes were too graphic

...is the other side of 8 Mile, Detroit, and is a trailer in a trailer park where the “White Trash” live. He walks straight in, only to find mum in a compromising position, which of course sparks an argument. Mum is the ever-lovely Kim Basinger, who looks great, even when she is supposed to be down at heal. Anyway, they patch up their differences, and Rabbit ends up living with his mum, her new boyfriend Greg, and Lily his little sister ...
...on. Rabbit is encouraged by his friends to take part in the weekly rap battle with other budding rap artists. This is where two artists have 45 seconds to ‘slay’ the other artist with rap. Rabbit chokes and says nothing in his 45-second slot. Of course the opposition rips him to pieces with rap, the idea of course, and Rabbit loses self-respect in front of the audience. After that, he loses confidence. From this moment on, the basic idea ... Read review

Advantages: Realistic, gritty and entertaining stuff
Disadvantages: Kim Basinger!

...but I have purchased the 8 Mile soundtrack, due to watching this film. Ah yes, the film! 8 Mile is kind of a 'semi-autobiographical' tale of young Marshall Mathers III. Although it doesn't tell the story of Eminem's life and meteoric rise to fame, the actor/singer/performer admits that the film has many parallels with his own life. It charts the life of one Jimmy Smith Jr, who is know to everyone (including his own mother!) as B-Rabbit. ("When ...
...his mother lives in on 8 Mile road. His life is a pretty hum-drum existence, working all the shifts he can at the local sheet metal pressing plant, pressing out car panels. Living back at the trailer park is hard for Jimmy, who has to deal with his mothers alcoholism and also the fact that she's shacked up with an old school 'associate' of Jimmy's, Greg Buell. Greg is also never short of a can of beer, and doesn't work due to a car accident that ... Read review

Advantages: great film
Disadvantages: its a 15+

...8mile is about a boy called b rabbit aka eminem that lives in a trailer with his mum and works at a power planet but in his spare time his goal is to b a rapper and as he battles throught the hard world been the only white boy in the rappin buisness he trys to prove he has got what it takes to be a rapper. it is made in 1995 and it is a great film full of rap offs and skills on the mic the film is like a couple of day in the life of eminem if i had to rate this film out of 10 i wold give it a 9 bcoz it is so dam funny and i love it i think it is also great value for money and the music is great to everything about this film iz great... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: Rapping is wicked
Disadvantages: None really

...Controversial rapper Eminem (real name Marshall Mathers) starss in the film 8 MILE. This is a drama directed by the Curtis Hanson. It is set in 1995 in Detroit, and follows the life and struggles of a young man who desperately wants to better his life. Eminem plays Jimmy Smith, Jr., better known as Rabbit, who has grown up in poverty and squalor living in a trailor park with his Mum who is played by Kim Basinger. Rabbit has a job in a factory to make what money he can. Rabbit offloads his stresses and struggles through hip hop. He is a talented freestyle rapper, Rabbit still hasn't managed to do anything with his talent. However his best friend Future (Mekhi Phifer) is determined to make sure that he does. Future gets Rabbit to enter a freestryle battle that he failed the week before. This is a great movie giving an idea of what... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Music and some acting
Disadvantages: Drags a bit, some support acting is not so good

...This 2002 film, 8 Mile, had a lot of hype surrounding it before its release. Many were critical in advance of Eminem's acting ability, and questioning whether the film was semi-autobiograohical or not. What emerged was this moving tale of music. The Plot Rabbit lives in a trailer with his mum and kid sister. His mum has problems with alcohol and is good for nothing, so Rabbit finds himself taking responsibility beyind his years. He works by day in a car factory and spends his nights on the rap scene, taking part in contests and hanging with his crew. A rival crew come on the scene and start making trouble, and Rabbit finds himself in the middle of it, both on and off the rap scene. Struggling to make headway in a cruelly tight music industry, can Rabbit stay the distance and get that recording contract? The Cast and Performances... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful