8 MILE (2002)  *1/2

Reviewed 11/9/02

Eminem gets to be Detroit’s slum superhero in this one as he is tender father figure to his baby sister, righteous defender against his mom’s abusive boyfriend, compassionate therapist to his humiliated pal, and sensitive savior of a picked-on gay man.  He even gives his car to his girlfriend when he breaks up with her.  Call him Saint Slim Shady with the super power of rap, except it doesn’t quite seem so super here.  Despite everyone in his gang believing Rabbit (Eminem) to be the Einstein of rap, whenever he goes into action, he is rather under whelming.  The script plays like an 80s teen comedy except with a lot more fucks thrown into the dialogue.  It’s John Hughes goes to the hood.  Eminem has approximately two expressions throughout, but Academy Award winning actress Kim Basinger (still sounds funny, doesn’t it?) is still much worse playing his mom.  8 MILE feels thoroughly false throughout, kind of like ROCKY IV, and they have similar endings with a crowd unconvincingly switching their support in the climatic conflict.