8 Mile Find your voice. Directed by: Curtis Hanson Written by: Scott Silver Starring: Eminem, Kim Basinger, Brittany Murphy, Mekhi Phifer Resources: LookSmart - help build the category through Zeal Internet Movie Database 2002 Cosmique Movie Awards: Nominations:  0 Cosmo Ratings: Number Rated: 5 Average Rating: 7.40 Aggregate Score: 37

The other night I had a date with a guy who really wanted to see 8 Mile.  I am not an Eminem fan, in fact all I know about him is that he espouses antigay and hateful music.  But I believe in seeing for myself, so that's what I decided to do.

I found that there is this whole world I know nothing about.  Hip-Hop is a culture within a culture within a culture.  Its very uniquely American, and uniquely inner-city oriented. What surprised me the most was that I learned something.  What I took away from the film was  a sense that these kids use this music not to "create" violence and hate, but to diffuse it.  I might have missed the mark, but my sense was that by creating art off the cuff and out of their head they were providing a forum for getting all their anger, confusion and frustration out in a way that keeps them from physical violence.  Often in the same raps people would come to conclusion, change their mind, point out others fallacies in thinking.

They do this in a way that from the outside seems to support violence.  I may be off base, I may have been duped, but I am left with the feeling that we have misjudged this type of music as a society.  I am not saying we have specifically misjudged Eminem, but I have to think twice now when I hear stories about this music.

The performances:

• Kim Bassinger was the person I wanted to see the most, and surprisingly she was the biggest disappointment.  She was flat, uninvolved and must have been sleepwalking through filming.
• Eminem was amazing, his acting was dead-on. 
• Brittany Murphy was sensual and charming.

Go see this movie.  See it for the cultural experience alone.

- Reviewed by CQ