“Our art is a reflection of our reality,” O’Shea Jackson, Jr. says while playing the role of his father Ice Cube in the film “Straight Outta Compton.”
In the case of classic rap group N.W.A, truer words have never been spoken.
It seems these words have resonated with the world. The film, now in its third week of release, has topped the box office for two straight weeks, earning more than $100 million domestically.
What “Straight Outta Compton” has achieved is phenomenal and somewhat unprecedented for what is considered a “black” film.
However, this isn’t a “black” film to be cast aside, written off or trivialized by mainstream audiences and critics. It’s much bigger than black or white, or rap for that matter.
This is a movie that has something to say, but it doesn’t batter the audience with its message. It presents the lives of these men, and many filmgoers have come away thinking, reflecting and inspired, which is in itself a feat.
The movie didn’t come without controversy and it continues to spark conversations and think-pieces everywhere about every aspect of the group and nearly every frame of the film. However, some of these conversations are important ones to have and were exactly what the film intended to spark, particularly the parallels to today’s world with police brutality, stereotyping and racial profiling.
The fact remains, “Straight Outta Compton” is the rare biopic about people of color.
Five young rappers from Compton, Calif. have connected with people across the globe, receiving high critical and commercial praise. The movie is breaking down barriers much like the group itself. Biopics are Hollywood’s way of deciding who and what is important, so with this film’s triumphs, studios are fresh out of excuses when it comes to the lack of visibility for people of color, and the cultural significance of this cannot be underestimated.
“Straight Outta Compton” is an impressive cinematic achievement, crossing racial and cultural lines and managing to unite its diverse audience. This film, and its unexpectedly tremendous success, is important to the cultural landscape of cinema. Perhaps it will bring about a change for the better, showing studios once and for all that audiences will see good films no matter the skin tone of themselves or the actors’ skin colors.
It also doesn’t hurt that the film is well-written, well-shot and wonderfully acted.
“Straight Outta Compton” is not only one of the best films of 2015, but also a game changer to culturally impact generations to come just as N.W.A did and Hollywood would be remiss to ignore it come awards season.