Straight Outta Compton

As with any other film “based on true events”, “Straight Outta Compton” probably contains exaggerations, omissions and a timeline that isn’t 100% accurate. Unless you were there hanging next to the group and you’re upset that you weren’t accurately represented, you’re not going to care. It’s got strong performances, a compelling story and with it being released right now, it’s like lightning in a bottle; you couldn’t have asked for a time where it was more relevant.

The film begins in 1986 Compton California where friends Eazy-E (Jason Mitchell), Dr. Dre (Corey Hawkins), Ice Cube (O’Shea Jackson, Jr.), DJ Yella (Neil Brown) and MC Ren (Aldis Hodge) form N. W. A. After their partnership with music manager Jerry Heller (Paul Giamatti) the film goes on to show the group’s rise to the top of the charts, the harassment they face at the hands of the police and the cracks that form between them as money and credit for their music becomes an increasingly contentious subject.

If you’re worried that this film won’t appeal to you because you don’t like rap, don’t worry about it. I don’t think I’ve listened to more than 3 songs of the genre in their entirety and I never felt lost. Yes the movie is about a rap group, but what it’s really about is a group of artists. Do their lyrics glorify drug-use and promote violence against the police? Yeah, I won’t deny it. Is it also misogynist? Definitely. That doesn’t not make it art. As it’s pointed out numerous times in the film, the members of the N. W. A. write and rap about the world they grew up in.

There’s a lot of power in the lyrics of the N. W. A., particularly in one of the prominently featured songs “[…] Tha Police” and the segments of the film where the highly controversial piece is making headlines are the most exciting. Like a lot of comedy, the song is about rage on the surface, but it’s also about pain. It points out the ugliness of having to live in an impoverished part of the country and being black. When a gun can be pointed at you casually at any time, it affects you psychologically. When you notice that people will listen if they have a weapon in their face of course it’s going to affect you. You’re not going to write songs about how guns are terrible; you’re going to write about how they’re a symbol of power while addressing the fact that it’s a frightening power. As the movie moves on, it’s clear that the trouble these young men faced did not stop once they started going on tour and I feel like if you really look at the movie you will see that it’s a fascinating portrayal of how fame affects those that are unprepared for it. It’s probably really difficult to praise women for their intelligence and see them as equals when your celebrity status gives you the power to tell any woman your age to take off her clothes at a party, and she’ll do it just to impress you.

When you see the way black men are treated by police officers and how, inexplicably police brutality seem to be ever-present (even to this day), the N. W. A. feel like champions of the people. You can’t blame them for being angry because you’re just as mad. Do they take things too far? Probably, but I wouldn’t say that they “Started it”. They’re not making stuff up about love or girlfriends; they’re exposing the rage that young black men feel and shining a spotlight the injustice around them. It’s not pretty or glamorous and it’s very explicit, but you don’t want to sugarcoat something that’s as infuriating as racial profiling.

The movie is also about a group of talented underdogs. The N. W. A. are self-made men. They didn’t become popular and controversial because of a sex tape or because their parents had money. It’s not even that they happened to be lucky and won the lottery, which allowed them to produce their own records. When you see the obstacles they face on their way, censorship, unfair arrests, the dangers of fame, street violence and more, you can’t help but cheer for them.

All that and it’s a well-made film too. The performances are very impressive, with a particular standout for me being O’Shea Jackson, Jr. This casting of a son playing his father, along with the fact that the adversities this group faced and rapped about is the reason why I call “Straight Outta Compton” lightning in a bottle. You couldn’t have made this movie 5 ago and (ideally) 5 years from now, it just wouldn’t be as topical. That’s not to say that he steals the show. Paul Giamatti is always good and deserves to be recognized, as do the other actors who portray the N. W. A. and who are mostly unknowns. There’s great use of archival footage, which helps make the movie feel completely authentic and the direction by F. Gary Gray is quite confident.

With all that said, I’m a bit torn. I feel that while there is some instances where the N. W. A. are portrayed accurately, with their faults as well as their good qualities showcased, some important and ugly events are not included at all. I feel like there’s a missed opportunity to report on the fact that violence in general and particularly against women appear to be ever-present in the world of rap. You’d think that Dr. Dre was a saint from his portrayal here. The movie is 147 minutes long and I’m sure something could have been cut to address this somewhat.

“Straight out of Compton” is a solid film that doesn’t require you to know anything about the people it’s about or rap culture to enjoy it. It’s got important and relevant things to say about art, about the music industry and about race. It’s also got staying power. I predict years from now people will still go back to the film and enjoy it, even if the people it’s about are long gone because it is a captivating story. It took me a while to finally find the time to see “Straight out of Compton” but I’m very glad that I did. (Theatrical version on the big screen, September 8, 2015)