Find your voice.
The people of Detroit, USA, know 8 Mile as the city limit, a border, a boundary. It is also a psychological dividing line that separates Jimmy Smith Junior (Eminem) from where and who he wants to be. 8 Mile is a provocative examination of a critical week in Jimmy's life.
Loosely based upon the true story of Marshall "Eminem" Mathers III.
Special Agent Matti
You don't have to be into white-boy rap to watch 8 Mile, but it helps.
Eminem has no trouble playing a character that is essentially himself. Even when he is not in a sympathetic situation (no-one wants to look like a loser and the opening "rap battle" scene has him as nothing if not a loser). On top of that the music is good: reasonably hard-core but still accessible (ie it sounds good) to a boring old fart like me. The best part are the vicious lyrics of the battles, which leave more blood on the floor than a dodgy abattoir.
8 Mile is full of street cred, white trash and homeys and, as you never quite know whether Jimmy is going to get his life together or not, remains easy to watch right up to the end. You don't have to be a rap dog to watch a rap dog.
You even get to see Marshall's bum.
M (Medium level coarse language, adult themes, medium level sex scenes, medium level violence)
118 minutes (1:58 hours)
Film: 16 January 2003
DVD retail: 7 September 2005