Straight Outta Compton (2015)

*** out of ****

This year, many have been vocal about how “white” the 2016 Oscar show will be – there are virtually no minorities nominated for anything. My feeling is that this is because many thought that “Straight Outta Compton” was worthy of both Best Picture honours as well as some acting awards. Personally I didn't see it as any kind of shoo-in for awards, though I will pay it the compliment that it kept me interested despite my having zero interest in the subject matter.

I was 18 or 19 years old when I first heard of the band NWA. I hated them. Just HATED them.  A bunch of rapidfire talking in time to a beat, which to me simply is not music. However, I did understand that these guys were like modern-day social protestors and a lot of people not only loved their lyrical content, they loved the feeling of the tracks and performances. Angry, full of energy and attention getting. So socially I understood, even if I would rather poke out my eardrums with a BBQ fork than be subjected to their “music”.

Happily, the film isn't about NWA's music, it is about NWA. Guys that rose above their social situation (East LA) and shook up the world by pioneering hip-hop and telling their truth about what they saw in the world. Along the way they have the typical creative conflicts among the group, the “management” that rips them off, and the excesses that rob so many young artists of the money that they manage to get their hands on.

Paul Giamatti is starting to make a career out of playing crooked record producers (see “Rock of Ages” and “Love and Mercy” for two recent ones), and he is simply awesome at it. He does the part as smarmy, moralizing while swindling, and is completely authentic. Here he plays Jerry Heller, the producer who helps get NWA started then tried to keep as much of the earnings for himself as possible. In the film this appears to take place because of the performers naivety about the industry, but soon they catch on and problems arise.

The three primary roles for the band members have Jason Mitchell as Eazy-E, O'Shea Jackson, Jr. as Ice Cube and Corey Hawkins as Dr. Dre, and all three are excellent in the roles. I find it a bit harder than some to give full credit to these actors for their efforts, as so much of “street thug” behavior all seems completely posed, and there is a tremendous amount of it in this film. However, whenever these guys have to play something straight and genuine, they are all very good in their roles.

The movie is a bit overlong at 2 hours and 20 minutes, and the first half is easily the most compelling, as the group is coming up and gaining popularity. But it's worth seeing, and for fans of the music will probably be considered essential viewing. I wouldn't go that far personally, but I never considered shutting it off, and for a film about rap, that may be the highest praise I can give.