>>REVIEW
GET RICH OR DIE TRYIN’
STARRING Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje and Joy Bryant
DIRECTED BY Jim Sheridan
Opens Friday, November 11
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Based on the life of rap’s current heavyweight champion, Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, Get Rich or Die Tryin’ is the story of a young man, living in a world of drugs and violence who wants a better life for himself and his family, and sees his talent for rap music as a means to that end. The film is part biopic, part gangster movie, part mystery, and at one point it’s even part Rocky training montage. So the only parts that are missing are the ones about it being interesting to watch and possibly somewhat entertaining.
Director Jim Sheridan knows the limitations of his lead actor and makes a wise decision of keeping Mr Cent’s dialogue to two sentences or less at a time (usually less), while also limiting his acting requirements to the basics of being happy, sad and angry. The supporting cast is given the opportunity to play many of Hollywood’s favorite cliché characters – the older, respectable crime boss, the ruthless next-generation crime boss, the caring girlfriend, the funny and loyal friend and, of course, the wise grandmother. And, as expected, it all rolls along with the aid of a bass-pounding hip hop soundtrack, which of course is provided by the film’s star.
This movie could have been an uplifting story of an underdog’s rise to success, but instead it simply glorifies the idea that no matter how many horrible things you do in your life, as long as you can fulfil your dreams, it’s all good. It’s hard for an audience to sympathize with or even care about a character’s situation when he’s choosing to do things that are so harmful and dangerous to not only himself, but those around him as well.
There are no inspiring messages to be found, but there is a scene in which one of the characters declares that he’s just in it for the money. How fitting. It’s clear that the opportunity to cash in on 50 Cent’s massive popularity is the only reason this film ever got made. |
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