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Film Review - Straight outta Compton

 Film Review - Straight Outta Compton


Straight Outta Compton (film) - Wikipedia

Review 4/5

'Straight outta Compton' is a film that was released in the Uk on 28th August 2015. Written by Jonathan Herman and Andrea Berloff, as well as being directed by F. Gary Gray, the film is iconic as it is based on the true story of the popular mid 80's rap group 'NWA' and their rise to fame whilst battling with racism in America, the views against 'gangster rap' and surviving some of the most dangerous streets in Compton set in California.

The most 'well known' actor starring in the film is Ice Cube's Son, O'shea Jackson Jr. This actor is very significant as he is in fact playing the role of his father. This aspect is somewhat amazing because you can barely tell the difference between young Ice Cube when he was in the group and his son who his playing him as a character. The factor of the characters actually looking like members from the group and the friends outside the group is a positive point as it makes the audience feel as if they are watching a sort of, documentary of the real people within NWA and the controversy they had t deal with, and their life after their peak of fame.

Another point that could be seen as an asset to the film or a negative point could be the fact that the ex members of the group Ice Cube and his friend Dr Dre were on the set of the film giving their opinions, and guiding the actors on how scenes should be played out and giving their views on how their story played out. This is good as it may give a realistic sense to the audience however, it has been seen as a bad factor from the public and some of the real life characters that were in the portrayed in the film. they saw it as a negative aspect due to the fact that at the end of the film Dr Dre came out 'better' than all the other characters, and this made people think that as Andre Romelle Young(dre) funded and slightly wrote the story, he may have been making the story up slightly to make the people he didn't quite like and the people who were not helpful to him end up worse off, such as Suge Knight. Also they feel like Dre may have focused on his success after the group split up within the film, with the examples of him bringing in artists such as 'Tupac' and 'Snoop Dogg' and focusing on the scenes with him recording with them.

However, along with that controversy the film is very enjoyable, entertaining and keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout the whole film. There are a few scenes that give out a huge sense of the racism that rappers dealt with in the mid 80's. The 'police Harassment scene is iconic due to the emotion and suspense it give out to the audience, making them feel angry, sad and then a sign of relief when the situation stops. The scene starts off with the group consisting of Eazy-E, Dr Dre, Dj Yella, Mc Ren and Ice Cube, standing outside their recording studio having a burger on a break just socialising. However suspense builds up as the police 'pull up' telling them to get on the ground, asking them what they were doing and you can tell that they were suspecting they were selling drugs as one police officer asks Ice Cube what he is doing and Cube responds with, "working" and the officer replies with "I bet you are." This leads to then leads to the police officers forcing the rap group to get on the ground after they have done nothing, they force them by hitting their food out of their hand and grabbing them, to then flow the rappers on the floor, however a sense of relief would come to the audience as their manager 'Jerry' comes out of the studio and explains whats going on, this then unravels into an argument between the police and Jerry about how the men look like 'drug-dealers' and that rapping is not work, however the negative emotion to the rappers from the police hasn't gone away, they still let the group up go back into the studio. This particular scene is very important to the film and the group in real life as, within the film it shows to the audience what black people of America would have to deal with in that time period, and it is significant to NWA as it inspired them to create their hit, controversial song, 'F*** the police"

Overall the film could be seen to be inaccurate to the fact that some biased view were made and then implemented into the film to see how the rap group would end up, but besides that the film can be funny, upsetting, inspirational, suspenseful and motivational to some audience within the fact that the rap group came from nothing and survived in some of the hardest times for black men in America.








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