



★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

This is a superb piece of edutainment from director F. Gary Gray, taking its name from the debut album of NWA. It charts the rise of the group through the late 1980’s to early 90’s, following Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, Eazy-E and more from the mean streets of their hometown to world-conquering success. I should mention that watching this movie for me was like diving into the deep end: I knew nothing about the NWA, Compton, the Rodney King riots or even rap music as an art form. It is to the film’s very great credit that I found it as engaging, entertaining and tense as any mega-blockbuster action drama.





Straight Outta Compton really comes into its own in the performance department. The decision to cast O’Shea Jackson Jr. (the son of Ice Cube) as a younger version of his own father is an unexpected masterstroke: not only is the physical resemblance uncanny, but Jackson Jr. carries off the way Cube holds himself and even his facial tics to boot. Jason Mitchell also turns in a very fine performance as the young Eazy-E, drawing out the emotional core of the film while his counterparts (Corey Hawkins as Dr. Dre, Aldis Hodge as MC Ren, etc.) form a ring of confidence and energy around him. Paul Giamatti also appears to be having more than his fair share of fun as silly-wigged manager Jerry Heller, doing a lot of shouting and spitting in a quite diverting manner. really comes into its own in the performance department. The decision to cast O’Shea Jackson Jr. (the son of Ice Cube) as a younger version of his own father is an unexpected masterstroke: not only is the physical resemblance uncanny, but Jackson Jr. carries off the way Cube holds himself and even his facial tics to boot. Jason Mitchell also turns in a very fine performance as the young Eazy-E, drawing out the emotional core of the film while his counterparts (Corey Hawkins as Dr. Dre, Aldis Hodge as MC Ren, etc.) form a ring of confidence and energy around him. Paul Giamatti also appears to be having more than his fair share of fun as silly-wigged manager Jerry Heller, doing a lot of shouting and spitting in a quite diverting manner.





Compton differentiates itself by having the ‘behind-the-scenes’ moments (usually all too brief in its contemporaries) directed with as much – if not more – vigour, steadiness and attention to detail as the stage-shaking live shows and street-bound brawls: there’s sincerity behind the swagger. Whilst it’s true that a film like this is destined by default to re-tread the usual rock biopic beats,differentiates itself by having the ‘behind-the-scenes’ moments (usually all too brief in its contemporaries) directed with as much – if not more – vigour, steadiness and attention to detail as the stage-shaking live shows and street-bound brawls: there’s sincerity behind the swagger.





Wolf of Wall Street-level displays of excess run rampant throughout the second half, lending the length of the movie a somewhat bloated feeling. NWA’s success isn’t necessarily wearing to watch, rather the fact that I’m more interested to see the how and the why than the what. Problems also arise when the film avoids tackling the well-documented misogyny intertwined within NWA’s rise to power. A true-to-life story that’s prepared to address violence and political unrest shouldn’t be afraid to do the same with sexism. Subtlety and delicacy aren’t always the guiding light, however.-level displays of excess run rampant throughout the second half, lending the length of the movie a somewhat bloated feeling. NWA’s success isn’t necessarily wearing to watch, rather the fact that I’m more interested to see theand thethan the. Problems also arise when the film avoids tackling the well-documented misogyny intertwined within NWA’s rise to power. A true-to-life story that’s prepared to address violence and political unrest shouldn’t be afraid to do the same with sexism.



