8 Mile

If you’re like me, the only movies you like to see are comedies. I personally have a hard time sitting through dramas, actions, or anything other than funny movies. In fact, at one point I didn’t understand why anyone would watch anything else. This all changed when I watched the movie, 8 Mile. 8 Mile is a drama/ semi-autobiography about Eminem and his story of rags to riches.  This movie is compelling, suspenseful, and proves that you can do anything if you put your mind to it.

Source: eminem.net

Jimmy “Rabbit” Smith Jr. (Eminem) is a blue collar worker in the economically slumping city of Detroit, Michigan. His passion is rap, and his desire is to get out of Detroit and make something out of himself. He lives in a trailer with his alcoholic mother and his little sister, living in poverty and violence. He himself has his own problems, such as breaking the color barrier in hip-hop, “friends” and their betrayal, and relationships.

Source: Gaming Generations

As mentioned, Rabbit gets away from all of this by rap battling. To him, it is irrelevant as to where he spits his rhymes: at work, at home, in a parking lot. Another area is “The Shelter”. This is a club where upcoming rappers battle each other, and Rabbit goes once a week to battle. One week, he goes and “chokes” on stage- he doesn’t say anything, and eventually walks off the stage from all the booing. The next week, Jimmy comes back and proves everyone wrong, having 3 amazing battles against his enemies.
Along with this, Rabbit overcomes a lot more. This movie has taught me that no one is in the way of your destiny other than yourself- it is perseverance, determination, and excellence.