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Created Aug 22, 2015 06:38PM PST • Edited Aug 22, 2015 06:38PM PST

1. Quality

2. Summary

   Really Great 4.5

   Supposedly there are other rap films out there, but I find it hard to believe that they can top this one. Transported instantly to the early 90’s, you are taken into the lives of the genre’s founding fathers: Easy-E, Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, Suge Night, and more. One can easily see how rap became such a natural outlet for the mean-streets and how the members didn’t take shit from anyone – even much later on in their careers. The other thing that became perfectly clear is the musicality of rap – something I admittedly had not connected very much to. It connects to some of the basest emotions: anger, frustration, independence. From dodging bullets, to working for the man, to partying like a rock star – this is a really great historical accounting of a very unique time.

4. Acting

   Great 4.0

   It is hard to a clear lead from this stellar cast. Jason Mitchell as Easy carries the story, but O’shea Jackson (Ice Cube), Corey Hawkins (Dr. Dre – awesome likeness IMHO!), Neil Brown Jr. (DJ Yella), and a scary Marcos Taylor (Suge Night), and of course Paul Giamatti were all super in this film.

5. Male Stars Great 4.0

6. Female Stars Great 4.0

7. Female Costars Great 4.0

8. Male Costars Great 4.0

10. Film

    Really Great 4.5

    Almost perfect immersion into early 90’s rap reality.

11. Direction Really Great 4.5

12. Play Really Great 4.5

13. Music Really Great 4.5

14. Visuals Really Great 4.5
15. Content

16. Edge

    Sordid 3.4

17. Sex Erotic 3.4

18. Violence Brutal 3.4

19. Rudeness Profane 3.4

21. Reality

    Glib 1.3

22. Circumstantial Glib 1.3

23. Biological Glib 1.3

24. Physical Glib 1.3