 |
| Terrence Howard |
THIS WEEK:
Hustle & Flow (2005)
- Alternative To -
- Alternative To -
Straight Outta Compton (2015)
What is the point of doing a biopic movie? What is there in a life that is worth making a story about, especially in the realm of music. At a certain point, the story of underdog culture meshes into its own set of contrivances. Yet, we keep coming back to them. Last year saw Get On Up, now today marks the release of Straight Outta Compton. For those unaware of N.W.A.'s work, they were pioneers of the gangsta rap movement that spoke about police brutality and their harsh realities of their environment. You may know of a few names. There's Ice Cube, who still appears in movies periodically. Then of course, there's Dr. Dre, who released an album earlier this week as the oddest piece of cross-promotion.
But the rap world isn't one that has been done to death in the biopic mold. We have seen everything from 8 Mile to Get Rich or Die Tryin'. It is the story that takes in an interesting barometer of topics. However, my selection isn't one of a nonfictional story, but one that launched a career of an actor. It is a film that pretty much outlines the very essence of what these films are trying to capture. In 2005, Terrence Howard made an impact as the rapper who could in Hustle & Flow: a film that embodies the underdog essence in its entirety down to Howard's unrepentant passion.
The film may be a little stock otherwise, but to watch the songs take shape is its own form of movie magic. In the case of the Oscar-winning (yes) song by Three 6 Mafia called "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp," you see the formation from its very essence. You see the beat form and how the back-up vocals take shape. You see Anthony Anderson bobbing along, realizing the they struck gold. It is the story of a beginner who wants to escape the environment and make something of himself. It is gritty and full of cameos from various musicians that add a certain subtext to the film's rich structure. Is it a perfect movie? No. But Howard sells it like his character as being something of promise.
But the rap world isn't one that has been done to death in the biopic mold. We have seen everything from 8 Mile to Get Rich or Die Tryin'. It is the story that takes in an interesting barometer of topics. However, my selection isn't one of a nonfictional story, but one that launched a career of an actor. It is a film that pretty much outlines the very essence of what these films are trying to capture. In 2005, Terrence Howard made an impact as the rapper who could in Hustle & Flow: a film that embodies the underdog essence in its entirety down to Howard's unrepentant passion.
The film may be a little stock otherwise, but to watch the songs take shape is its own form of movie magic. In the case of the Oscar-winning (yes) song by Three 6 Mafia called "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp," you see the formation from its very essence. You see the beat form and how the back-up vocals take shape. You see Anthony Anderson bobbing along, realizing the they struck gold. It is the story of a beginner who wants to escape the environment and make something of himself. It is gritty and full of cameos from various musicians that add a certain subtext to the film's rich structure. Is it a perfect movie? No. But Howard sells it like his character as being something of promise.
So, why choose a fictional story when Straight Outta Compton has a lot more biopics that have similar motives? Because, there is a contrivance in those formulas that keep them from being high caliber. Even my original pick (Notorious) has a certain familiarity to it, regardless on the solid performances. I don't know much about how the film is going to play, if it is going to be as dangerous as the actual band, but I doubt that we will be seeing anything other than what is on display in Hustle & Flow. We probably will see that spark and the immediate impact they made. We'll see them change the world of music. The only difference is that Howard's character doesn't quite get that far - at most, his character has an oddly similar trajectory to that of Howard's character 10 years later on Empire.
Of course, this is also a caveat column because rap music isn't immediately appealing to just anyone. True, the general public has warmed up to it in the decades since N.W.A., but there's still a fraction that probably won't take this recommendation seriously. I mostly chose this one because it showed the impact that movies about rap music can have a legitimate impact. It may not be the most abundantly clear and Howard may be too raw and brutish for some, but he gives something authentic, even earning the film a few Oscar nominations. Is Hustle & Flow a great movie? Not necessarily. However, it is about as good as the underdog musician can get when having to find an alternative to something without many substitutes.
Comments
Post a Comment