One of NWA’s members says during a critical moment of Straight Outta Compton: “Yo….I got something to say” in front of strict opposition. That statement sums up the movie. Straight Outta Compton charts NWA’s rise despite Shakespearean threats, within and without.
Before they became legendary, the 3 men were barely scraping by. Easy E (Jason Mitchell) was a low-level drug dealer. Ice Cube (O’Shea Jackson Jr., GREAT at his father’s scowl) a street poet, and Dr. Dre (Corey Hawkins) DJ’ing local bars. The three meet Jerry Heller (Paul Giamatti), a local agent who quickly signs them to a deal. As the group explodes in popularity, strong forces threaten to take them down: the police, the federal government, and even their own greed and hubris.
Even though this movie happened in the 1989ish range, it feels more relevant than ever. Police relations have eroded to near Rodney King level mistreatment causing the Black Lives Matter movement. Cultural misunderstanding leads to fear from those in power. And more lightly, these people are all extremely relevant today: Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, Snoop, Suge Knight, and even Tupac are known artists who have contributed something to society. The disease of me also permeates the story, showing how little petty differences can escalate out of control the more famous you get. Many of these themes will be experienced by most people, giving this movie a timeless quality many movies aim for and miss.
F. Gary Gray has directed many of these guys’ music videos, so he earned their trust to deliver something great. Gary’s concert scenes are magnetic and mesmerizing, capturing the thrill of the moment these guys and their audience must have felt. Gray can also direct some tense action, when these guys have to flee from police or other assailants. The director knows the high point in the film is the Detroit concert, and Gray slowly builds the tension with handheld camerawork and then busts out the majestic but in-your-face shots for the concert, then back to handheld when the panic sets in. This scene is one of many that are riveting because of the strong understanding the director has for this material.
For a cast of unknowns, the acting is very good. Jason Mitchell is awesome as Easy E, getting the most Shakespearean arc of the 3 leads. Mitchell taps into E’s anger, haughtiness, and fear as the story goes on, a juicy role that the actor nails. O’Shea Jackson Jr. lives with his character, so he knows the ins and outs of his dad, and yes, he’s got the angry look down. Corey Hawkins is also great as Dre., getting to showcase some acting chops as the NWA popularity grows. Paul Giamatti is fine as the group manager, selling the earnestness of the guy early to be undercut later. The supporting cast is also good, with everyone giving little spins on their parts.
When I asked mom if she saw any movies this year, she didn’t have a long list, but she did say, “I wanna see that Compton movie. I like that story!” So congratulations, NWA. Your reach is so widespread and story so enjoyable that you’ve got a white middle-aged suburbanite excited for your film.