8 Mile (2002)Movies

Movies from Film Forum, 11/14/028 Mile opened to a huge box office success this weekend ($51.2 million.) It also kept theater employees busy preventing younger viewers from slipping past its R-rating barrier.The story follows a familiar Rocky/Karate Kid formula, but is set in a troubled corner of Detroit, where young people vent their anger, prejudice, and bitterness in contests of bile-spewing, yet skillful, rap. The film has received a lot of hype as being semi-autobiographical for its star, the controversial young rap celebrity Eminem. But director Curtis Hanson does a fine job of making what is predictable seem fresh, and he finds in Eminem a surprisingly engaging screen presence. David DiCerto (Catholic News) calls it "a raw foray into the high-stakes world of Detroit's hip-hop subculture....