Review: Straight Outta Compton

My enjoyment and your possible enjoyment of F. Gary Gray's new biopic Straight Outta Compton might depend on just how much you enjoy the group NWA. This is a film that weaves a mythic tale of the influential rap group similar to what you might find in a rap song. This is all bravado, humor, and entertainment and leaves the insights and emotional ups and downs of a traditional biopic on the cutting room floor.

That isn't to say that Gray doesn't weave in social upheaval and racial commentary into the film. At times, Straight Outta Compton shows how America is still dealing with many racial tensions. This is at its best when the film is focussing on the aftermath of NWA's controversial hit "Fuck the Police."

The film takes a mostly straightforward approach, cataloging the highs and lows of Dr. Dre, Eazy E and Ice Cube (and, to a far lesser extent, MC Ren and DJ Yella). The film hits big when it focuses on the music and careers of these men and is less successful when delving into their personal lives. The treatment of Eazy E's AIDS diagnosis feels particularly thin and underplayed.

However when business is at hand, the film is often hilarious and frequently entertaining. Paul Giamatti kills as manager Jerry Heller even if his motivations for double crossing Eazy E go unexplained. 

Straight Outta Compton is a big film, covering a huge amount of history. It is fun and entertaining rather than insightful but that bothered me less and less as I thought about the very nature of hip hop. Rappers often sell their game, themselves, their legend status and this film is akin to just that, a big mythic tale of one of the greatest rap groups ever.

4/5