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8 Mile is a 2002 Academy Award-winning film starring Marshall "Eminem" Mathers as the young white rapper Jimmy Smith Jr. It is set in Detroit, Michigan 1995. Eight Mile Road is a road which forms the boundary between predominantly African American Detroit, Michigan and the city's mostly white northern suburbs. The term "8 Mile" therefore represents a barrier that is difficult to cross.
Besides Mathers, the stars of the movie include Kim Basinger, Brittany Murphy, Mekhi Phifer, Omar Benson Miller, Eugene Byrd, Michael Shannon, Evan Jones, Chloe Greenfield, Taryn Manning and De'Angelo Wilson.
Tagline: Every Moment is A Chance to Turn it Around.
Tagline: Every Moment is Another Chance.
There has been considerable debate, in the mainstream press, amongst reviewers, and other viewers, on the extent to which 8 Mile is semi-autobiographical, biographical, or totally fictional. This has been fueled by the fact that events and characters depicted in the movie appear to parallel events, and people, in Mathers' own life (as presented in the media and in various songs). Many reviews have suggested that the character Jimmy Smith mirrors Mathers as a young adult.
Other suggested parallels include but are not limited to:
Rabbit's 3-1-3 (Three-One-Third) posse to D12's rap group.
Rabbit's friend, mentor, and promoter Future to Proof, Eminem's real life friend. Proof hosted the battles in Detroit, which Future does in the film.
Future to Kon Artis, Eminem's friend and fellow D12 rapper. Future's real name in the movie is "David Porter", while Kon Artis's is Denaun Porter.
Rabbit's little sister Lilly to Eminem's young daughter Hailie Jade Scott. Eminem's "Lose yourself" video explicitly connects Lilly to Eminem's daughter.
Rabbit's mother to Eminem's real-life mother, Debbie.
Rabbit's ex-girlfriend in 8 Mile to his real-life divorced, re-married and recently divorced again wife, Kim Mathers.
Rabbit's rap battles in "The Shelter" to Eminem's participation in "The Rap Olympics." "The Shelter" is also an actual concert venue in downtown Detroit, in the basement of St. Andrew's Hall. "The Shelter" scenes in the film were filmed in a warehouse and not the actual concert venue as it was far too small to film in. Also, when the outside of St. Andrews Hall is shown, the sign for the venue is removed.
The suggestion amongst those holding such a view is that identities and events were changed in the film, and thus should be considered "biographical", or "semi-autobiographical" (given Mathers' role in the creative process). Some people holding such views have suggested changes of names and events were done to make civil lawsuits against Eminem more difficult. Others have suggested that names were changed along with a fictionalized, sanitized account of real events, designed to legitimize Eminem as an artist, and present him in a positive light.
In an interview included in the "Extras" portion of the DVD, Eminem says that Jimmy is not him but the story is semi-autobiographal. This allows Eminem to do more with the character of Jimmy than he could if it were solely based on his life.Wikipedia |
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