Straight Outta Compton

The fact that F. Gary Gray's musical docudrama about N.W.A., the five-member group that made West Coast gangsta rap a phenomenon in the late 1980s, includes among its producers O'Shea “Ice Cube” Jackson, Andre “Dr. Dre” Young, and Tomica Woods-Wright (widow of Eric “Eazy-E” Wright and current CEO of Ruthless Records)—ensures that the perspective here will favor three performers, who will be treated sympathetically, while others will either receive scant attention or be painted in negative terms. Even so, Straight Outta Compton proves to be an energetic and intense portrait of an important moment in the evolution of American popular culture. The narrative follows the standard biographical beats, fashioning a rise-and-fall story that begins in 1986, when Wright (Jason Mitchell) was a small-time drug dealer and Jackson (played by O'Shea Jackson Jr., Ice Cube's son) and Young (Corey Hawkins) were friends on the fringes of the East L.A. music scene. After N.W.A. formed, they attracted the attention of a rock impresario (Paul Giamatti) who became the band's unscrupulous manager, shepherding the birth of the titular album that served up an angry denunciation of establishment authoritarianism, one that resonated throughout the nation. But fissures appeared in their relationship, especially after predatory ex-bodyguard Marion “Suge” Knight (R. Marcus Taylor) entered the picture, and tragedy in the form of illness shortly followed. In spite of some debatable emphases and elisions, Straight Outta Compton is a powerful, vigorous film that captures the spirit of major and still-controversial contemporary developments in American life and music. Recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include audio commentary by director F. Gary Gray, the production featurettes “The Streets: Filming in Compton” (6 min.), “N.W.A. Performs in Detroit” (5 min.), “N.W.A.: The Origins” (4 min.), “Director's Journey” (4 min.), and “Impact” (2 min.), and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release is a “Becoming N.W.A.” behind-the-scenes segment (9 min.), deleted scenes (6 min.), a deleted song performance (2 min.), and bonus DVD, digital, and UltraViolet copies of the film. Bottom line: a fine extras package for a winning film.] (F. Swietek)