2.5/4  8 Mile Quick Review
Eminem is actually pretty good, but, then again, he should be. He basically plays himself in this semi-autobiographical film about a white rapper in Detroit who struggles to make it big.

5/5 A great film for Eminem fans
  by Gwyneth Sergio (Seatle)
Two kinds of filmgoers may want to see 8 Mile, fans of Rap/Eminem and those who thought Curtis Hanson's "LA Confidential" was one of the best films of the last few years. Eminem films are likely to be very happy. The high vote given the film by females under 18 confirms that. Eminem turns out to be a surprisingly good actor and the music is brilliant. Followers of Curtis Hanson like me may be less enthusiastic. The film is certainly interesting and well made, but lacks the mix of excitement, tension, mystery, comedy, sex, drama and star performances that makes LA Confidential interesting to watch over and over again. Eminem plays Jimmy's, whose relationships with his friends, family, workmates and girlfriends are well handled, as are his efforts to break into the commercial world of Rap music. But this is all quite low-key stuff compared with the dazzle of LA Confidential. And Detroit at night or gloomy daylight is at the opposite end of the USA to sunny Los Angeles. Maybe there lies a clue to why Curtis Hanson chose to make this film. It is set in a depressed area of one of the most depressed cities in the USA and so shows a side of that country that is not often seen in Hollywood movies. This is an interesting film that I enjoyed, but no Oscars this time!

5/5 8 Mile Is a Inspirational Movie and a 5 Star DVD
  by alex fryling (erie pa)
Here is another inspirational movie I look to when I am down or looking to be inspired. Eminem is the rare white rapper that had a hard upbringing. Make no mistake about it he is not vanilla ice or Fred durst he can actually rap and puts time and thought into his lyrics. This story is solid and starts at a hard time in his life where he does not know what to do. He loses his girlfriend his mother is addicted to drugs and alcohol and he is not living the life he dreamed. Every time he gets up in front of the crowd he gets nervous and can't rap but finally near the end he is able to take on the challenge. While Eminem didn't have a totally never come back upbringing it was hard enough and it is an inspiration to everyone. The music for this film is subpurve. Great movie put on by Eminem and this in my book is a 5 star DVD pick it up ASAP.

5/5 Eminem raps!
  by Reality Bluff (Atlanta, GA)
If you want a full review of this DVD, there are many excellent ones written here. But here are some highlights and food for thought not covered elsewhere. When you watch this DVD, look for these underlying themes:

+ Eminem's "friends" think they are talented rappers, but they all really know that Eminem is king here, and are scheming for ways to profit from his success. Glaring examples are "Future" (to promote his joint), and Wink trying to hitch Eminem with his make-believe rap production connections.

+ Time after time again, his "friends" let him down when instead they could help. Examples:

++ His car breaks down over and over, and they are all standing by. But whenever he gets his car fixed (a number of times), then they jump inside the car to have fun. Eminem knows and has the motivation to fix his car, both of which are glaringly absent in his "friends". Reinforcing young black men's cliches? I wonder ...
++ His mom is in this relationship with their past classmate. What do they do? They mockingly "line up" to be her next mate.
++ On the fight scene with Papa Doc's troops, only Cheddar (Bob) comes up with a real weapon to match Papa Doc's, which flashed last time. When Cheddar shoots himself, only Eminem presses down the wound and otherwise takes definite action to take him to the hospital to save his life. The other ones are again standing by a pole. "Future" dissappears to "pray".
++ Wink tries to befriend "Rabbit" while at the same time hangs with his nemesis "Papa Doc". And lays with Alex(a) in the studio, knowing that Eminem is interested in her.
++ In general, his "friends" are simply hanging around and generally "along for the ride". He, and in a lesser way Cheddar and Alex(a), are the only ones really showing any semblance of character and taking charge of their life. Since all three are white, one again wonders about black's cliches here. And about a Mesianic, "save me" attitude, versus a "take charge" in what they can. However, look at the "tough love" he briefly receives from a coworker, and from the security guard, both of which are of color. A break from these cliches.

+ Jeannine, Alex(a) and other girls in his life, even his mom, are shown to be only out for their cut of the pie. His pie. The only ones who are a real emotional support to him are, in a small way, his mom, and Lilly, his little sister. The latter is (in real life) a little friend of Eminem's daughter, who did her acting in a quite realistic way that could only come up from a real-life friendship with Eminem. Eminem and Lilly's filial relationship has an emotional intensity that brings out an caring and providing Eminem that you would not expect in a rapper.
Also notice Eminem's motivation to burn an abandoned house (like the one used in raping a little girl, according to the news) when Lilly's name is brought up in the conversation. And Alex(a) does not miss out on that cue.

Cheddar Bob is there mostly as a comic relief. His name and his behavior suggests that his brain seems to have some holes where gray matter is missing. But watch him closely, as he, Eminem and his mother slowly realize that the people around them not only are not of help but actually a distraction and even a hindrance to their betterment.


3/5 1 Shot...
  by M. B Cole (Las Vegas, NV)
I remember when this movie was coming out. At the time I thought it was supposed to be Eminem's life story or something. Then after seeing the movie, I knew it was definitely not. Maybe somewhat but definitely not what I thought it was going to be. Honestly I don't know much about his life other than he hates his ex Kim and he is ticked at his Mom.

8 Mile is a pretty good movie though on its own. The dreams of a white man making it in what most consider a black mans game. Sure, some have and were basically one hit wonders like Vanilla Ice and maybe even Snow (was he white?). Some were amazing like the Beastie Boys and even Eminem himself. Sure we never really see the rapping part take off like in Hustle and Flow [Blu-ray], but we do see him 'battle' which is two guys facing off and free styling, which I consider harder than rapping since you basically coming up with rhymes on the spot.

Eminem plays Rabbit/Jimmy and is a kid basically living out of a garbage bag. With a dead end job for his future, the only thing Rabbit dreams for is a better future for himself and for his sister who lives with her bad/decent mom. And the only thing he has going for him is rap... and he's really good at it. He mainly just wants to record his music, but having no money, he can't really get studio time without help. So to pass the time he goes to a place where people battle to earn respect and recognition. And really that's basically the gist of the movie.

Eminem actually plays a good role, even it probably wasn't to tough to basically play himself. Kim Basinger plays his mom and does a really god job. One minute you like her and the next minute you want to scream at her saying 'WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU!?'. Brittany Murphy is also in here and really didn't need to be. I hated her role. She just seemed like some drugged out hooker to me the whole time.

Though I liked the movie, I also don't really care for it... but... then I did like it also. Weird I know. Right when I would start getting bored with parts or rolling my eyes at parts, they would make me laugh or just get really interested again. For instance...one scene has Rabbit and his friend working on his car and the friend is trying to get him to come battle next week. We get it already...Rabbit is good and needs to battle. And then you hear 'Sweet Home Alabama' playing from inside the trailer and Rabbit and his friend start free styling to it and it really sounded good...which made me get interested again. I don't know...kinda hard to explain I guess.

In the end I would say rent it if anything. The last 3 battles were really good on Em's part.


P.S. Why did the only 2 other white dudes in the movie have to be REALLY dumb or REALLY redneck white trash? I thought that was funny.


1/5 8 MILE
  by Barbara Clark
AWFUL, never received the DVD, never got answers to my emails.
AMAZON finally refunded my money. Won't do business with this company
again.