So, when it comes to Straight Outta Compton, anyone who followed the rise of West Coast Rap and can remember real time footage from the Los Angeles riots, will dig this dramatised portrayal of the rise of N.W.A.
It's actually really very good too.
STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON
Director: F. Gary Gray
Cast: Corey Hawkins, O'Shea Jackson jun, Jason Mitchel, Aldis Hodge, Paul Giamatti, Neil Brown jun, Keith Stanfield, Demetrius Grosse, Corey Reynolds, Alexandra Shipp
Rating: (R16)
4 stars (out of 5)
Based on the lives of the five men who formed the formidable roots of N.W.A, Straight Outta Compton, which also borrows its title from their genre busting debut album, actually follows a relatively conventional story: a group of disenfranchised youths stumble upon a rallying call that instantly translates into success and fortune, only to be undone by egos, rivalry, racism and an unscrupulous manager.
Paul Giamatti's role as N.W.A manager Jerry Heller is very good. In fact, it would have stolen the show if not for the standout performances of O'Shea Jackson jun (playing his father Ice Cube) and Jason Mitchel (as Eazy E).
Riding a soundtrack chock full of big beats and vitriolic rhymes, F. Gary Gray's direction is assured, lively and in your face without being excessive, delicately balancing urban legends with historical fact.
Straight Outta Compton is still an exciting snapshot of a point in time that shows how important musical pioneers are to popular culture.
By Mark Orton.
