Product Details

• Actors: Eminem, Brittany Murphy, Kim Basinger, Mekhi Phifer, Evan Jones
• Directors: Curtis Hanson
• Writers: Scott Silver
• Producers: Curtis Hanson, Brian Grazer, Carol Fenelon, Gregory Goodman, James Whitaker
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, Dubbed, DVD, Full Screen, Subtitled, NTSC
• Language: English
• Subtitles: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Studio: Universal Studios
• DVD Release Date: March 18, 2003
• Run Time: 110 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (403 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00008GKEY
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #67,762 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Rap star Eminem makes a strong movie debut in 8 Mile, an urban drama that makes a fairly standard plot fly through its gritty attention to detail. Jimmy Smith (Eminem), nicknamed B Rabbit, can't pull himself together to take the next step with his career--or with his life. Angry about his alcoholic mother (Kim Basinger) and worried about his little sister, Rabbit lets out his feelings with twisting, clever raps admired by his friends, who keep pushing him to enter a weekly rap face-off. But Rabbit resists--until he meets a girl (Brittany Murphy) who might offer him support and a little hope that his life could get better. Under the smart and ambitious direction of Curtis Hanson (L.A. Confidential, Wonder Boys) and ably supported by the excellent cast and the burnt-out environment of Detroit slums, Eminem reveals a surprising vulnerability that makes 8 Mile vivid and compelling. --Bret Fetzer

Product Description
Controversial rapper Eminem (real name Marshall Mathers) makes his big screen debut with 8 MILE, a bracing drama directed by the increasingly audacious Curtis Hanson. Set in 1995 in the bleak, urban battle zone of Detroit, the film follows the struggles of a young man who is desperate to make a better life for himself. Jimmy Smith, Jr., better known as Rabbit, is destined for a life of squalor. Living in a cramped trailer with his deadbeat mom (Kim Basinger), Rabbit works in a factory to make ends meet. His only outlet is hip-hop. Possessing a talent for freestyle rapping, Rabbit still hasn't managed to unleash his true potential. But his best friend, Future (Mekhi Phifer), is determined to make that happen. Future forces Rabbit to enter a freestyle battle that he blew the week before, giving him another chance at redemption. Hanson's stellar portrait of lower-class urban disillusionment, shot with uncompromisingly gritty realism by Rodrigo Prieto, proves that the issue is no longer about race, it's about money. Eminem delivers a bold performance as the troubled youngster who is still trying to find his place in a harsh, cruel world.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WOW!, November 9, 2002

By	Diana Stegall (Livermore, CA) - See all my reviews

This is the first time I've ever seen a movie on opening night, and it was well worth the wait and trouble. I'm extrememly lucky to get tickets, practically all the theaters in the entire area have been sold out!

Jimmy Smith, Jr., a.k.a. Bunny Rabbit (Eminem) lives in inner city Detroit, with his alcoholic, yet highly interesting mother, played by Kim Basinger; and his younger sister, Lily, who is absolutely adorable, and Rabbit's only obvious weakness. He dreams of making it big, along with his group, 313, including Future (Mekhi Pfipher) and his buddies, including the hilarious, [silly] Cheddar Bob, and the politically active Iz.

Jimmy works in a stamping factory, where he meets Alex (Brittany Murphy), an ambitious woman with dreams of modeling, whose only real wish is simply to leave Detroit and escape to New York City. "All I need is a plane ticket."

Future resides over rap battles at the shelter, and, having faith in Rabbit's skills, invites him to rap. After we open with Rabbit choking on his lines, he is invited once more. Soon, we are faced with a dilemma, because Rabbit must choose between making it on his own through his talent at the battles, or his friend Wink's supposed connections at a record company, who promises to give Rabbit fame if he meets with a record producer.

Eminem is an impressive actor, though he isn't exactly stretching to meet his role. However, compared to the "Glitter trauma" that affects so many singers who aspire for the big screen, it's an affecting debut.

"8 Mile" is rated R, based mainly on the language, of which the affect wears off after the first 15 minutes, but also for some graphic sexuality, including Jimmy walking in on his mom, and making love with his girlfriend in the factory.

This was an impressive movie and I was glad to have seen it, I would reccommend it to anyone over the age of 15.

27 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I Didn't Want to Like Eminem, June 4, 2003

By	"katerpotater" (Horsham, PA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: 8 Mile (Widescreen Edition) (DVD)

Eminem always drove me crazy. I always saw him as one of those people so desperate for attention he was willing to say or do anything. With his inflammatory lyrics and personality, I assumed he had little talent and instead tried to get noticed by being controversial. I refused to give him any attention, even negative attention because I thought that was what he wanted.

Then 8 Mile came out. I am a huge film buff and I read a lot of reviews. Reviewer after reviewer kept saying good things about it. I finally admitted that I wanted to see it - for curiosity if nothing else. And I have to (begrudgingly) admit that he is talented, both as an actor and a performer. That almost makes me even more angry - if he really is talented, and I believe he is, why not allow that to carry him to the top? I always think that people who use shock value to get attention do so because they can't get attention on talent alone.

In any case, he can act. Eminem plays Rabbit, a guy in the poor section of Detroit, going through the motions of life, desperate for escape. He has two moods - depressedly morose, or explosively angry. I don't know if this is indicative of the real Eminem, but I hope that he smiles sometimes in real life. I don't think Rabbit ever does. To escape the monotony and sadness in his life, he participates in "battles" at a club where two rappers hurl insults back and forth at each other on stage.

I wasn't crazy about the Brittany Murphy character, Alex. I thought a lot more could have been done with this role. I would have liked to see more development with her and Rabbit. But all in all, it is a gripping tale. The final showdown between Rabbit and his archenemy at the club is astonishingly climactic and full of an energy that will leave you buzzing. I came away not necessarily an Eminem fan, but certainly with a newfound respect for him and his talent.

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Eminem Displays Talent in New Film, January 16, 2003

By A Customer

Eminem, probably the most controversial rapper today, who is best known for his highly disturbing lyrics, stars in the first motion picture of his career, 8-mile. Eminem plays Jimmy Smith Jr., a young white rapper trying to make it big in a black dominated area in Detroit near 8-mile road, the barrier that seems to keep him from accomplishing his goals. He struggles trying to deal with home life in a trailer park with a near psychotic mother, as well as earning respect as a white rapper. He attempts to gain recognition for his talent by competing in battles between rappers of the street, he being the only one who's white. The movie seems all too familiar, being somewhat based on Eminem's real life. Kim Basinger plays his mother, Brittany Murphy his "sort of" girlfriend, and Mekkhi Phiffer stars as Future, the DJ of the battles.

As all movies do, this one too has its high and low points, but overall 8-mile is a fairly good film, taking critics and moviegoers all over the country by surprise. Eminem proves he actually has acting ability and shows he doesn't qualify to be put into the "singer trying to act" category. He shows depth and emotion in his role with a performance that goes far beyond his otherwise annoying self. Kim Basinger also nails the role of the mother, giving a truly great performance in the film. The film is mostly dramatic but also contains comedy with a few strong, humorous lines delivered throughout. Some downsides are the excessive amount of vulgarity, seeming like every other word out of every characters mouth is a swear word, as well as some pointless scenes in the film that should have been left on the cutting room floor. If vulgarity is hard on your ears, stay as far away from this film as you can. However, an unexpected but highly energetic ending seems to make the whole movie worthwhile.

The film goes beyond most people's expectations of what they believe it would be, showing talent as well as a solid plot. The movie is a must see for Eminem fans and anyone who enjoys rap music or entertaining, high intensity films.