Rating:

Starring Eminem, Kim Basinger, Mekhi Phifer, Brittany Murphy and Eugene Byrd

Directed by Curtis Hanson

Produced by Brian Grazer

Written by Scott Silver

Distributed by Universal Studios

118 mins.

Rated R

In his acting debut, rapper Eminem shines as a hardened young man with big dreams in a place where there is little hope.

In Detroit, 8 Mile is a street that divides the prominently black neighborhood from the white suburbs. Jimmy Smith Jr., a.k.a. “Bunnt Rabbit,” lives on the black side.

The film opens in 1995 at “The Shelter,” an abandoned building where freestyle rapping contests are held every Friday night. Rabbit has locked himself in a restroom to prepare for the contest where contestants get 45 seconds to out-rap and out-insult their opponent after which the audience chooses a winner. After throwing up, he goes on stage, freezes and is unable to do anything but leave humiliated.

Even with a group of supportive friends, Rabbit’s life is a mess and he has taken on the same forlorned look as his neighborhood. He has broken up with his girlfriend and must move back home to a dilapidated trailer with his alcoholic and moody mother (Oscar winner Kim Basinger for “L.A. Confidential”), who forgoes getting a job to take her chances at nightly games of bingo. Rabbit struggles to keep a job at a local factory, and faces daily run-ins with a gang whose leader happens to be the reigning champ of The Shelter’s contests.

With all of his problems, Rabbit never gives up on his dream of breaking into the hip-hop world. He scrawls lyrics onto crumpled-up pieces of paper whenever he gets a minute alone. He gradually begins to rap publicly in crowds on the streets, building up to his eventual big battle at The Shelter against his hip-hop nemesis.Though “8 Mile” is definitely a drama, there is enough humor to keep even the most dismal scenes funny. And it is the best kind of humor because it doesn’t feel scripted, but rather the genuine kind that takes place in the daily conversations of life.

It has been said that “8 Mile” is a loosely autobiographical account of Eminem’s own life, but don’t go into it expecting a fairy tale ending. One of the best things about the film is the sense of realism that is never compromised to give it a Hollywood ending. This isn’t a Cinderella story, but rather someone taking small steps towards his dream like the rest of us.

If something negative can be said about the film, it would be that we don’t get into the head of any of the characters. They are simply players we watch from the surface, their emotions aren’t explored and we don’t find out what makes them tick. The movie is like a window into a small time frame where the viewer is simply there to observe and get a taste of this world most of us have never seen and don’t know anything about.

You don’t need to be an Eminem fan or even a rap fan to appreciate “8 Mile.” I consider myself fairly neutral on both subjects, if not slightly put-off by Eminem’s real-life persona, and I still thoroughly enjoyed the movie for its interesting story line and excellent cast, who portrayed their characters with natural ease.