Often two films with extremely similar subject matter will come out at the same time, and the inevitable comparisons that result can drastically alter how each is received. This is more of a trend among critics than audiences'actual turnout doesn't shift dramatically'but when one of the films is much better than the other, negative reactions to the lesser movie can be exaggerated and detrimental. For example, the marginally entertaining 'Dante's Peak' seemed awesome solely because it came out a few months after the truly horrible 'Volcano.'
Keep that in mind when reading the scores of hyperbolically awful reviews for 50 Cent's big-screen debut, the tepid rap-to-riches opus 'Get Rich or Die Tryin',' because it appears far worse than it actually is when compared to this year's far superior 'Hustle and Flow.'
In fact, 50 Cent will have a hell of a time dodging comparisons to Eminem's analogous cinematic debut in '8 Mile,' which, in both form and content, mirrors the basic intentions of 'Get Rich or Die Tryin.'
50, whose name is Curtis Jackson, portrays Marcus, an up-and-coming crack dealer who finds money and love, gets shot nine times and survives, and then reevaluates his life and moves on to an immensely successful rap career. This film is mostly 50's life story, as it spans at least a twenty-year period from the death of his idolized, drug-dealing mother to a stint in prison to the frequent guerrilla turf wars he was a part of.
Despite its steady direction from Irish auteur Jim Sheridan, 'Get Rich or Die Tryin'' suffers from 'Sopranos' scribe Terence Winter's bloated script, which tries to cram way too much into one movie. Instead of giving us an enlightening, comprehensive look at 50's tumultuous life, the film is an overstuffed grab bag of scenes, including many that work well individually, but fail to form a compelling, convincing whole.
Sheridan's sharp instincts and decisions cannot overcome an over long film that nonetheless stretches itself too thin. Is it about 50's struggle to find love with a childhood flame who disapproves of his pesky crack dealing? Or is it about 50's heavily 'Scarface'-esque rise to the top of the crack dealing food chain? Do his musical aspirations fit in there somewhere? Sheridan attempts to balance all of these elements, but instead ends up with an unfocused compilation of moments that all mostly feel shoehorned in.
50 is surrounded by a sturdy ensemble of character actors, including 'Hustle and Flow''s own Terrence Howard as a trigger-happy cohort, Adewale Akinnuouye-Agbaje as Marcus's treacherous employer Majestic, and especially, the legendary Bill Duke as Levar, the gang's notorious crack dealing Fearless Leader (who describes himself as 'God, Allah, and Buddha all rolled up into one big nigga').
As a result, these gangster scenes, derivative as they may be, are much stronger than his budding romance with a tedious love interest (Joy Bryant), or the unclear, haphazard scenes dealing with his growing interest in rapping. To its credit, 'Get Rich or Die Tryin'' has the most ferocious, terrifying attempted-murder-in-a-shower sequence in cinematic history.
Whenever it strays from the vicious immediacy of the turf wars, 'Get Rich or Die Tryin'' is pretty much ineffectual and redundant. As an actor, 50 is not nearly as bad as one would think, but he certainly projects a wooden screen presence characterized by scowling, beaming, and the occasional hearty chest thump. In short, he's far from Daniel Day-Lewis, whom Sheridan has recurrently collaborated with, and it is this lack of a magnetic central presence that sets it aside from the director's solid previous work.
It refuses to delve further into 50's mystique; instead it lingers on too many other aspects. This film will attract 50's legions of fans but definitely will not win over any new ones. Despite Sheridan's pedigree and some striking parts, 'Get Rich or Die Tryin'' is inert and surprisingly bland for a violent depiction of gritty urban gangland. For a mesmerizing, realistic portrait of a streetwise thug trying to break out of the ghetto, go with 'Hustle and Flow' instead.
