Musical bio pics have always been one of my favorite film genres; I've enjoyed everything from Bird & La Bamba to Purple Rain & The Temptations. Ironically the Hip Hop films have always been hit or miss with most mainstream moviegoers. There's been Oscar Winners such as 8 Mile, straight to video flops such as I'm Bout It and forgotten classics like Wild Style. Not since Krush Groove has there's never been a true to life hip hop biopic; finally with Notorious Hip Hop fans now have an excellent film to add to the list. Without a doubt, The Notorious B.I.G. is one of the greatest rappers of all time, so it's only fitting a film is made about his life. Biggie Smalls influence on modern Hip Hop is still relevant today in the lyrical styling of Jay-Z, Nas and countless other New York rappers, bringing his life story to the big screen would require great detail and most all of the right actor. Thankfully director George Tillman Jr. found an amazing talent in lead actor Jamal Woolard. Playing The Notorious B.I.G. from teenager to young man, Woolard gives one of the best lead debuts in recent memory. Woolard fully throws himself into the role Of Biggie, the same Jamie Foxx did in Ray. From his the dialect in his voice, to his swagger with the ladies, Woolard makes the character so believable it's almost as if he never died. Naturi Naughton, formerly of 3LW and Antonique Smith also both make amazing film debuts as Lil Kim & Faith Evans. Naghton is able to invoke the "tough girl" attitude and blunt sexuality, that her real counter part is known for; while Smith could easily serve as stand for the Faith Evans, The supporting cast Angela Basset as Volleta Wallace (Biggie's Mother) and Derek Luke as Sean "Puffy" Combs also both give excellent performances. The only performance in question is Anthony Mackie as Tupac Shakur. Mackie had played Tupac before in the off Broadway play Up Against The Wind, which is why he was given the role, however from the start, Mackie was seen as the wrong choice by Tupac fans to bring Pac to life on screen. Given his limited screen time and story arc I think Mackie (who happens to be one of the finest young black actors working today) does a fine job. It should be noted that Mackie really isn't given a chance to fully embrace Shakur as this is a film about Biggie and not about Tupac. The script by Reggie Rock Blythewood may follow the standard biopic outline, but the performances in the film, the flashy visuals and authentic New York setting are what make the film worthwhile. Notorious is more than a film about Hip Hop, it's the story of a man coming to his own who life was cut to short by senseless violence. After leaving the film, the question lingered in my mind if Biggie and Tupac had just taken a few minutes to settle their differences would they be alive today? I came to the realization that if they were alive then the legacy they both left behind wouldn't be as great as it is today.
Review of Notorious
