Movie Reviews: 8 Mile and Weird: The Al Yankovic Story

This week focuses on two very different musical “biopics”.

8 MILE (2002)
Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

I never saw this quasi-biopic back in the day but with Curtis Hanson’s name on it, I couldn’t stay away forever.

The Eminem story is a gritty, grounded look at a rising rap star thanks to the late, great Hanson. Coming right off his masterpiece L.A. CONFIDENTIAL, Hanson takes a somewhat cliche-ridden script and injects honesty, humanity, and a hell of a lot of raw energy. Surrounded by a supporting cast who feel like they were picked right off the streets, the rap star also shines, playing himself with cold intensity. He’s incredibly watchable on screen and I wonder if he could have continued more seriously in movies if he wanted to. Kim Basinger might be the one weak link in the cast. She’s good but her presence is distract. She’s too Hollywood in the neorealistic atmosphere Hanson is trying to create. Brittany Murphy, on the other hand, feels like the real deal (perhaps for all the wrong reasons) and their sex scene is one of the most memorable I can think of.

It’s a solid, sometimes powerful film only weakened by the ROKCY-like cliches and repetitive physical abuse that eventually gets mind-numbing and loses its effect.

Watched on Tubi

WEIRD: THE AL YANKOVIC STORY
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars

What a surprise! I really don't see how this film isn't one of the most talked about comedies of the last five years. This often hilarious musical biopic is smart on so many levels.

First, it fully embodies Weird Al and his music. Second, it parodies biopics in all the best ways, both poking fun at the form and having fun with it. And at the same time, it manages to never let us stop caring about its characters, no matter how ridiculous the narrative gets. Daniel Radcliffe is one to thank for that, playing Al with utmost sincerity as if he was going for the Oscar (he probably should have received a nomination for this... no I'm not kidding).

In fact, no one in the movie is winking at the audience and I found that so refreshing. So often these days, comedies wreak of self-awareness, patting themselves on the back for being funny when they aren't and playing to the audience. Instead, WEIRD just is what it is: weird, funny, ludicrous at times, and it never slows down long enough to be aware of itself.

This was truly a great time at the movies and gave me hope that some comedic directors and writers still know what the hell they're doing.

Watched on DVD.

These reviews were also posted on my letterboxd account and will eventually be published on my Travis Mills filmmaker Facebook page