But don't take my word for it. I went to see this with my parents, who are both in their 50s (dad is about to turn 60, damn that's young! :), and neither one of them like rap and probably like eminem even less, yet both came out raving about it and him. My mom said, "[Eminem's] face is really telegenic!", and they both agreed that Kim Basinger (that's Bay-Singer) has the best supporting actress Oscar all but won, and they have never really raved about her either. I'd have to agree too, this movie and "Batman", are probably her best...okay she was good in "LA Confidential" too.

      What's great about this movie, is that it really humanizes ghetto/inner city life, and it's rather shocking to people who have lived in the 'burbs their entire life (me), I have LOTS more respect for Marshall Mathers now, but I respected him a great deal before today. He's a lyrical genius. Heck, drop the lyrical, he's a genius. You shouldn't have to like rap to understand that.

      Marshall and Kim co-star with the always good Brittany Murphy and Mekhi Phifer, but Evan Jones, Eugene Byrd, and Omar Benson Miller have started the trek to make names for themselves. Evan Jones almost steals the show from Marshall Mathers, but that's pretty hard to do, especially when the movie is about Marshall's life.

      That's another thing. People have knocked this movie saying that there's no music in it, and that Mathers can't act. Sure, it's easy to play yourself in a movie, but if that's not acting and requires no acting ability than I think everybody would be an actor. And to the turd on some DC radio show who said there's no music in this movie, when the trailer has lots of music, I say this: What movie did you watch? There's plenty of music! It's not a musical, no, but it is LADEN with GREAT RAP SONGS. Guess somebody just wanted to knock Eminem without even seeing the movie. Sir, your kind disgusts me.

Recommendation: Even if you don't like rap, and/or think Eminem is a no-talent ass clown, you got to give this movie some consideration. It features one of the best (if not THE best) Kim Basinger role EVER, great music, great rising action and tension that climax' brilliantly in the end, and introduces Hollywood to Marshall Mathers; I cannot wait til he stars in a movie not about rap or himself. He will shine again.

     -- James ( 4 out of 4 pops )

Talk about this film with other Popkorn Junkies

       Mike ( 3 out of 4 pops )

      "8 Mile" is a very good honest and realistic film depicting the social and  cultural aspects of a young white man living in the mostly black and poor area of Detroit.  While there have been countless films about people trying to escape from their miserable surroundings and to make something of their lives, this film has an original feel to it.  But what makes this film really work are all the supporting actors who play their characters realistically instead of as over-the-top cartoonish types which are often used in these type of movies.  I thought that Mekhi Phifer was especially good in playing the best friend who tries to help Jimmy succeed as a rapper.  Eminem is very good at basically playing himself, but he also goes the low key route instead of a larger than life hero type of guy which really helps to make the film an honest story.

      Billy Ray ( 3 1/2 out of 4 pops )

      I have been wanting to see this movie for quite a while, especially since most critics have adored it and some have even gone as far as to say Eminem deserves Oscar recognition.  Though I thoroughly enjoyed this film, I don't think his performance was special enough to deserve Oscar recognition status.  Alas, Eminem does a fantastic job of portraying, well, himself.  He is intense when he needs to be, soft and sweet when he needs to be, and downright mean when he needs to be.  He shows a wide range of acting emotions and really lets himself go with the role, something he is to be applauded for doing.  Kim Basinger just might deserve Oscar recognition, though, for her role as his unemployed, sexually deviant mother who plays bingo and really seems to care very little about her small daughter.  Many critics have said Basinger is too glamorous and beautiful to play a trailer park mom, but I feel that is a very naive and racist statement to make--not all trailer park moms have to be unattractive just because their lifestyle is construed as such.  Mekhi Phifer and Brittany Murphy offer decent support (though Murphy's character really is quite unessential to the plot as a whole).  IN CLOSING, upon entering the theatre, a friend who had already seen the film told me that he loved the film up until the ending, which he said was awful.  This led me to believe that, more than likely, Eminem was going to take a bullet.  So, throughout the entire film, I was watching it with the belief that he was going to die.  Then, when the ending came, I found myself relieved and angry at the same time.  Angry because my friend has little or no sense as to what a good ending qualifies as.  How in the world did he think it was a bad ending?  Well, anyway, I really liked "8 Mile" and look forward to seeing what project Eminem chooses next, assuming he sticks with the acting gig.  I like him as an actor far better than I like him as a rapper.