Notorious (2009 film)
2009
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January 28, 2018. Tupac’s 1996 double album was made in a frenzy. It is paranoid and brazen, fun and fearless, but it is Pac’s singular style that keeps one of his greatest records from coming ...
Jun 16, 2017 · Rough Night Narcos All Eyez on Me. In Theaters At Home TV Shows. Advertise With Us. The true and untold story of prolific rapper, actor, poet and activist Tupac Shakur (Demetrius Shipp Jr.), from ...
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- Demetrius Shipp Jr.
Apr 4, 1996 · April 4, 1996. The title of 2PAC’s fourth album, All Eyez on Me, is not just a reflection of his usual arrogance and paranoia — people are watching 2Pac. This two-disc set comes just four ...
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Jun 16, 2017 · Powered by JustWatch. “All Eyez on Me” is one of the most useless music biopics ever made—it’ll be too confusing for newcomers and too underwhelming for those familiar with the work and the life of rap prophet Tupac Shakur. Directed by Benny Boom with minuscule passion and a ruthless 140-minute running time, “All Eyez on Me” is a ...
- This Tupac Shakur biopic may be appreciated more by his fans than by newbies.
- All Eyez on Me Photos
- Verdict
By Edward Douglas
Posted: Jun 16, 2017 12:15 am
The legacy of Tupac (or 2Pac) Shakur has been kept alive for more than twenty years since his death, and the long-awaited biopic All Eyez on Me tries hard to separate the controversy from the contradictions in a movie that gets better over its lengthy runtime.
Prestigious filmmakers like Antoine Fuqua and John Singleton had originally hoped to make the movie, before it got bogged down in years of legal disputes, so the fact this movie even exists is quite remarkable. The producers finally ended up hiring Benny Boom, a director better known for his music videos--most notably for Nicki Minaj, 50 Cent and Akon--than his movies, and he does a decent job trying to encapsulate the life of a complicated artist.
The main reason his movie gets off to such a rough start is the decision to use the lame framing device of Shakur (played by Demetrius Shipp, Jr.) being interviewed during his 1995 prison sentence, and reflecting back on his life and career up until that point. This immediately gives the film’s first half a far-too overused biopic narrative that rambles through Shakur’s early life like a Wikipedia entry.
At times, the early part of the film feels more like a TV movie, not being particularly subtle about depicting the white people around Shakur as either clueless (such as his Interscope Records liaisons) or downright evil (just about every police officer shown in the movie).
Newcomer Demetrius Shipp, Jr. has the unenviable task of representing Shakur—a role played by Anthony Mackie in Notorious. Shipp not only looks eerily like the late rapper when recreating music videos or his acting roles, but he’s also able to perfectly mimic his mannerisms and way of delivering a phrase. This makes his performance feel like more than just an impression and makes you feel as if you’re watching his real life with its ups and downs.
The rest of the cast isn’t quite as strong with Danai Gurira (The Walking Dead, Black Panther) as Tupac’s mother Afeni giving an overwrought performance that pales in comparison to Naomie Harris’s similar role in Moonlight. Her character also disappears for a good chunk of the movie, negating the myth about Tupac’s closeness with his mother. In some ways, it’s more entertaining to watch Shakur interact with childhood friend Jada Pinkett (Kat Graham) over a few key points in their respective careers.
You may need to already have at least a tangential interest in Tupac Shakur in order to appreciate All Eyez on Me, because it starts off in such a traditional way and rather meekly. For non-fans, it might be tough to get through the movie’s first hour and to the “good stuff” contained in the second half. On the other hand, Demetrius Shipp Jr. gives...
Jun 15, 2017 · Film Review: ‘All Eyez on Me’. A drama about the life of Tupac Shakur is sprawling but sketchy in a standard biopic way, yet Demetrius Shipp Jr.'s performance nails the hip-hop superstar as ...
Jun 15, 2017 · Launching in U.S. theaters Thursday to coincide with the rapper’s 46th birthday, All Eyez on Me has had a bumpy production history of lawsuits and high-profile departures. After passing through ...
