The real Slim Shady

Eminem is the artist everyone loves to hate, but after his fantastic debut performance in the film 8 Mile, love is all that most audiences will feel towards him. Eminem plays a role that seems to mirror his own life, as Jimmy "Rabbit" Smith Jr., who is stuck fighting for his right to live along 8 Mile Road in Detroit, Michigan.

The street serves as an ultimate barrier between the city's black and white communities. For years Detroit has served as the home for various genres of music; from this background, Jimmy and his friends, Future (Mekhi Phifer), Sol (Omar Benson Miller), DJ Iz (De'Angelo Wilson) and Cheddar Bob (Evan Jones) turn to hip-hop music as a means of survival and escape from the downward spiral of life found throughout their poverty-stricken neighborhood. In the underground world of Detroit hip-hop clubs, Rabbit hopes to prove himself as a musical force. The audience watches as Eminem absorbs the qualities of his character, growing from a young boy seeking approval -- both emotionally and musically -- to a man in full, confident force.

In his attempts to make some sense of the chaotic world in which he lives, Rabbit creates soul searching lyrics, his only way of blocking out the unwanted pieces of life. Through music, Jimmy is able to sort through his emotions and dramatic life relationships, such as confronting a need for freedom and independence, yet feeling strong love and bonds with his mother (Kim Basinger) and younger sister.

8 Mile is most definitely a musical drama, but not a musical in the song/dance sense. The production of the film allows for the music to complement the plot, especially since much of the music in the movie is written by Eminem himself. The film is structured so that, as Jimmy's confidence develops, so too does the music, leading to a climactic ending.

Eminem's ease in creating the lonely, emotional turmoil experienced by Jimmy is unparalleled. Audiences are drawn to his and Rabbit's yearning and burning desire to create music and free themselves from the reigns of poverty and Detroit inner-city life. The closeness of Eminem to his character allows for heightened emotion. Unlike in typical movies, where the actors rehearse for two weeks before filming, Eminem rehearsed for his role as Rabbit for nearly six weeks before actually shooting the movie. The close relationships between actors that are evident in the film can most likely be traced to this intense practice period, in which all the actors were encouraged to bond and try the scenes emphasizing different emotions. Perhaps that the movie was actually shot on location in Eminem's hometown of Detroit helped the further connection Eminem felt and expresses as Rabbit.

Alex (Brittany Murphy) adds another dimension to the film in her role as another struggling youth attempting to make something more of her life. Her escape path is through modeling, but both her and Jimmy share the common bond of contemplating leaving all that they know behind them in the search for more successful and fulfilling lives.

Eminem's ability to constantly break all stereotypes is shown once again as he proves that musicians can perform in movies, and can perform with such ease and ability that audiences are drawn to the artist rather than the Academy Award-winner. Eminem's acting ability is in a league far beyond that of other pop stars and singers who have recently starred in movies. The audience feels the suspense of life on the verge of greatness, of breaking ties with the past and of moving forward to a world filled with possibility.