Review: Straight Outta Compton

When I first sat down to see Straight Outta Compton, I was prepared to be blown away. After all the hype from friends on Facebook AND critics, I knew I had to see what was up. What I got was WAY more than I expected. I got a masterpiece. For those who don’t know the movie, Straight Outta Compton is the biopic about rap group N.W.A., how they came to be and how they changed the game for their time and the future generations. The stars of the flick were perfection, especially Ice Cube’s son O’Shea Jackson Jr. who played his father (of course!). It was like the rappers themselves time traveled to the future to play themselves, that’s how uncanny it was! Freaky yes, but truly uncanny. Exceptional performances from everyone, by the way. Did I mention PERFECTION?

I could never take my eyes off the screen; once the film began, I was HOOKED until the end. During the times of the #BlackLivesMatter movement, the film couldn’t come at a better time, as the film also mentions the beating of Rodney King and the LA Riots. The rappers rebelled during a time when rap wasn’t counted as an art form, wanting to show the world a brutally honest depiction of their lives in Compton, more importantly the tensions with young black men and the police. N.W.A .gave the young generation a voice they desperately needed at the time and director F. Gary Gray (famous for films like Friday and Set It Off) depicted that very well. The film also takes turns on the points of view of each separate member of the group, but brings more attention to Ice Cube, Dr. Dre and Eazy-E in specific transitions in their lives.

Now, I’m a big fan of the hip hop/ rap from back in the day, so listening to the music played throughout the film was nothing but a pie of nostalgia thrown in my face. Delicious? Most definitely. The film is also a myriad of emotions. I was laughing one minute and the next the film would get serious. Then I’d cry in the next scene. I love the emotional rollercoaster in films. But what surprised me the most was the very diverse audience joining me in the movie theater.

Hollywood tends to create such stereotypes that films with people of color are only for people of color. That is very far from the truth. Everyone of every age, gender and race went to see Straight Outta Compton when I did. And we were ALL in tune with each other and the film. Hearing people laugh or sniffle with me just made the film that much more enjoyable.

If that doesn’t influence you, I should also mention that Straight Outta Compton ruled the box office this past weekend, winning over $50 million and the hearts of critics (it has an 89% on Rotten Tomatoes). It’s also one of the best August openings of all time (fifth to be exact) AND the highest for an R-rated film in August. Interested yet? I certainly hope so. 

In the end, Straight Outta Compton is a MUST-SEE film! Great acting, old school music, the story kept me attentive always and I would most definitely see this again and AGAIN.

I recommend this film to all the movie buffs, hip hop/rap, (or even old school in general) lovers out there! SEE IT NOW!