Straight Outta Compton

Parental Rating: R

Contains: Language    Nudity    Violence    Sex    Drug Use    Adult Content    

Jill's Review

Opens August 14, 2015

Runs 147 minutes

In 1987, Dr. Dre (Corey Hawkins), Ice Cube (O'Shea Jackson, Jr. - Ice Cube's real son), Eazy-E (Jason Mitchell),  DJ Yella (Neil Brown, Jr.) and MC Ren (Aldis Hodge) formed N.W.A., a group known for their raw and brutally honest lyrics that reflected their life on the mean streets of Compton, Ca. They were represented by Jerry Heller (Paul Giamatti) and soon began to take their place at the forefront of a musical social revolution. With equal parts swagger and talent, this is the true story of their rise to fame and how they used music to raise themselves "Straight Outta Compton" and speak to a generation of fans along the way.

The Husband and I really liked this movie. We didn't know much of this story and what led to the fame of people like Dr. Dre and Ice Cube. We aren't big on Hip Hop or Rap, and we did feel slightly like we were in an alternate universe from where we grew up. But, it was interesting to see the adversity that these guys faced and how they used their talents to get where they are today. I think some of the criminal histories were glossed over and the police were shown only in a negative light so it seemed a little one-sided. But, It felt timely. Also a little "in your face" - though I guess that was the intent. The lyrics were extremely explicit. There is no doubt that these guys were talented but some of the songs/raps were over the top. Overall, a very good movie that feels relevant even today even if the music is not my cup of tea. Go see it.

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