When top ten most anticipated summer film lists were compiled F. Gary Gary's Straight Outta Compton was hardly on the radar. It was overlooked in a summer filled with superhero movies and big budget action thrillers.
Compton tells the story of legendary and ground breaking rap group N.W.A. The band made music history through their aggressive reality rap style. Five men came together with the goal of making music that represented their own lives. What happened instead was something unprecedented. Their music reached uncharted heights of popularity and their raps transcended the streets of Compton only to echo throughout the United States.
With such an important history behind this group, this biopic had high stakes. Could this movie capture the energy that not only transformed the music industry but impacted fans for generations to come? Compton does that and more. It delivers through its story development, acting, and raw yet modern style.
The performances were critical to the success of this film. O’Shea Jackson Jr., Corey Hawkins, Jason Mitchell, Neil Brown Jr. and Aldis Hodge come together to form N.W.A. on screen and their chemistry is instant. Paul Giamatti delivers a standout performance as N.W.A. manager Jerry Heller but it's the lead actors that bring this story to life.
These actors not only had to deliver believable performances but they had to live up to rap icons. Each actor embodied their real-life counter part; it never felt as though these men were doing an impression, they became these characters in every frame. It’s the connection between Hawkins, Jackson and Mitchell that grounds this thrilling and outlandish story in a more personal and emotional connection.
This movie feels large in scale but Gray found the delicate balance between showing phenomenal performance sequences and focusing on the internal conflict and emotions between the members of N.W.A.
Compton changes gears toward the final act and moves the focus away from the group and becomes weighed down by legalities and contract negations. Despite its flaws, Compton is more relevant today than ever for audiences. The issues that took place during the early years of N.W.A. can be seen in the headlines today. Yes, this is a story about the past, but it translates to 2015.
Straight Outta Compton is a musical history lesson but also a reminder that history can and will repeat itself.