In the 1980's, many were enjoying the thrills of neon colors, big hair, upbeat rock music from Def Leppard and Journey, TV shows like Who's the Boss and Full House, and iconic movies like Ferris Bueller's Day Off and Top Gun. America was also home to one of the roughest, gang-ridden, violent places in the world: Compton in Los Angeles. Gang violence was at an all-time high, the tension between black Americans and the Los Angeles Police Department was palpable, and the peaceful demonstrations of Martin Luther King, Jr. from just 20 years ago were lost. Straight Outta Compton tells the story of a rap group, NWA, who also used their voice, though with a very different tone, to spread awareness of what they had to endure.
Nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay, Straight Outta Compton follows the lives of five young men from Compton who were tired of the violence and oppression and were given a voice to speak out, in a very honest and very graphic way. The group struggled to find success until a white manager Jerry Heller (Paul Giamatti) takes them under his wing and believes they not only have a story that needs to be heard, but a talent for rhymes and beats that will sell. They rose to fame and found that their message, though successfully bringing to light the dire situation in urban America, served as a catalyst for even more violence as their fans acted out in anger and authorities sought desperately to shut them down.
They were often accused of simply trying to shock their listeners with their graphic lyrics and profanity-laced raps, though they vehemently defended their music as a reflection of their world. Later, they were accused of letting the fame and fortune get the better of them and losing their focus on their true agenda. The trailer looks like an interesting look at the forming of this group considered by some to be civil rights leaders. It also looks very violent and graphic, but that's what it was like for them in the late 80's. I'm predicting Straight Outta Compton will be a solid 3 stars. I think it will be a decent movie that is worth the money in the theatres, something I might catch when it makes its way to cable, but other than that would not find a home in my permanent collection. So, am I right? We shall see.
No comments:
Post a Comment