What Took Me So Long: I spent a long time hating Eminem. I've finally reached a place where I understand what people like about him and accept what he is.
Why I Saw It: (Club 50) This proves that Marshall Mathers can act. He has a limited range I'm sure. He doesn't seem to be in a hurry to test his range either. For this spiritual biography of his life, he is equipped with exactly what he needs. The biggest thing that struck me about this was where it stops. The freestyle rapping is certainly the selling point to the movie but it's not as heavy as I'd expected. And, the story being told is not a big one. He becomes king of a Detroit rap club/society/whatever and walks away from it. That's the climax. Honestly, with a song as big a "Lose Yourself" attached to it, I expected something that went bigger and was pleased that it didn't.
Why I Wish I Hadn't: While I appreciated that restraint, to make it as compelling, a stronger lead may have been better. Yes, I know I'm being contradictory by saying that. This is the difference between playing a character well, which Eminem does, and playing a character well enough to elevate the material, which it's not unreasonable to say he couldn't do. All in all, the movie is interesting enough. It kept my attention. It didn't engage me. When the climax happened, there was a moment when I thought, "oh, that's it?".
Verdict (?): Weakly Recommend
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