Get Rich or Die Tryin' Film Review
Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson Stars in a Film that is unexpectedly good
Apr 17, 2008
A rapper film usually gains merit for its violence or its playlist of famous songs. With Get Rich or Die Tryin’, writer Terence Winter and director Jim Sheridan are trying to do something else. Instead of championing the film as a ‘be cool’ vehicle for “50 Cent”, they have brought out the texture of a rapper’s life, making it believable and identifiable for the audience, whether the audience is into rap music or not.
Flashback Story that Works
Without giving too much away, the first explosive scene is when Marcus (played by Curtis 50 Cent Jackson) and his mates burst into Majestic’s (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje) territory to carry out a robbery. This culminates in Marcus crawling for his life and having a gun pointed to his head. This near death experience sets up the film's frequent flashbacks to Marcus’ life and his childhood.
Though Marcus struggles with having a poor and big family, the cast includes some lovely characters, such as his grandfather and grandmother, played by Sullivan Walker and Viola Davis. Marcus had good shoes and an education, like a middle-class child, but only because his mother (played by Serena Reeder) sells drugs to keep their lifestyle. There is no sympathy asked from the audience, the portrayal is neither melodramatic nor banking on exciting violence to get laughs and approval. Viewers who find that this film glorifies violence and drugs cannot be more wrong – in fact, Marcus only drifts further and further away from his gangsterism, and further into his rap career as the film progresses.
Commitment as a Rapper
The rapper theme runs through the entire plot without being contrived. As a child enjoying the privileges hard-earned by his mother, Marcus would stay up all night to record his music. His childhood girlfriend, later played by Joy Bryant, keeps a tape of his work, only to be discovered by her parents, and she is promptly sent away from her sweetheart, to avoid any trouble. However, they reunite years later, and are still deeply devoted to each other.
Marcus soon lands in prison when he is caught in possession of drugs. But instead of getting himself into fights in prison, Marcus stays sane by carving rapper lyrics on his prison wall. His inmates start humming his tunes, a perfect representation of the underground rapper music that 50 Cent represents. In all this music there is hope mingled with strong emotion in the film that Chicago Sun Tribune Film Critic Roger Ebert calls a "drama with power and anger".
Compelling Love Story
Joy Bryant shines as Charlene, Marcus’ childhood sweetheart, who eventually gets together with him and has his baby. The romantic plot is tied closely to Marcus’ rapping career: it pushes Marcus forward whenever obstacles arise. As a child, Charlene used to sing with Marcus, and later rebukes him when he sinks into depression after a mouth injury.
Summary
Fans of rapper ‘50 Cent’ Curtis Jackson may want to check out this 2005 offering, based on 50 Cent’s life story as a child, rapper and gangster. However, audiences looking for a rapper film that glorifies violence and being cool should steer clear of this. It's no Pulp Fiction or Kill Bill. Get Rich or Die Tryin’ is a deeper movie that takes you into the life of a rapper who tries to disentangle himself from his gangster roots in order to express himself fully in his music.
- Get Rich or Die Tryin'
- Starring 50 Cent, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Joy Bryant, Terrence Howard, Tory Kittles
- Written by Terence Winter
- Directed by Jim Sheridan
- Running time: 134 minutes
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