8 Mile

Say what you will about him as a person, but as a performing artist Marshall Mathers (a k a Eminem) has talent to spare. And one more thing — his acting's not too bad, either.

That will surely come as a disappointment to those who were hoping for him to fall flat in his feature-film debut, "8 Mile." But he acquits himself nicely, lending credibility to a drama that examines not only hip-hop music but impoverished urban America as well.

Which is not to say that "8 Mile" is problem-free. Despite its edgy, raw-nerved approach, the film is somewhat clichd and occasionally overwrought. And it could use a stronger ending than the rather ambiguous one we're abruptly left with.

The film's title refers to an especially impoverished section of Detroit. That's where Jimmy "Rabbit" Smith (Mathers) finds himself. Rabbit, who has just broken up with his longtime girlfriend (Taryn Manning), is working at a metal-extrusion plant producing bumpers for automobiles and has moved back in with his mother (Kim Basinger) in her trailer home.

But he has hopes for bigger things, including a career as an MC. However, when the time comes for him to actually perform his act onstage, he chokes and is unable to utter as much as a word.

Then a series of good things happen, including the arrival of Alex (Brittany Murphy), a would-be model who sees big things in Jimmy and encourages him. Still, that's easier said than done, especially when he faces competition from a rival hip-hop crew, and even his friends and family don't really seem to believe in him.

It should be noted that neither Mathers nor filmmaker Curtis Hanson have said that the film is a definitive biography of the controversial hip-hop star. Rather, it takes some of his real-life events and dramatizes them.

The results are highly watchable. In fact, there might not be a more rousing moment on film this year as the scene in which Rabbit finally turns the tables on his tormenters on the stage.

That's at least due in part to Mathers, who's quite believable. Of course, he's also got a talented supporting cast to bolster him in weaker moments. Murphy continues her string of solid performances, while both Mekhi Pfifer and Basinger are better here than either has been in quite some time.

"8 Mile" is rated R for frequent use of strong sex-related profanity, racial epithets and explicit sexual talk, violence (beatings and some gunplay), scenes of simulated sex and simulated drug use (marijuana), brief nudity (flashes of male and female backsides) and brief gore. Running time: 106 minutes.

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