![]() ![]() They both involve Dre’s association with producer Suge Knight, who the film portrays as a brutal tyrant who uses violence and intimidation to maintain his power. Once you know what happened to Dee Barnes, two events in the movie just don’t add up. In fact, aside from a mother doling out tough love to Dre, a few girlfriends in the background, and the nameless babes baring their breasts at wild parties, women are virtually nonexistent in the movie. ![]() The explicit misogyny present in some of N.W.A.’s music is never addressed in Straight Outta Compton. By ignoring this complication to the narrative, which is exacerbated by the Dee Barnes incident, Straight Outta Compton rings hollower than it otherwise would. Sure, some women rise above that distinction, but the men get to decide who they are in both their songs and now in their life story. Songs like Bitches Ain’t Shit portray women as little more than faceless whores. Liberals and conservatives alike criticize Gangsta Rap for its misogyny and degradation of women. While that was certainly a factor – the song Fuck tha Police serves as an enraged indictment against a law enforcement organization all too willing to brutalize the citizens it’s supposed to protect – it’s not the whole story. The film mostly portrays N.W.A.’s creativity as being fueled solely by the injustices they felt at the hands of the LAPD. Especially when those subjects make their own biopics. Barnes’ account of what happened that night, and her feelings about its total disappearance from the timeline of the film, exposes what can go wrong with biopics about still living subjects. On that night, Dre savagely beat Barnes in retaliation for a news item she worked on that Dre felt disrespected him. She describes seeing the film, and her reaction to realizing that the events of January 27th, 1991 were completely left out. In this case, there’s the matter of a Gawker article written by Dee Barnes. ![]() Unfortunately for him, we live in an era when the people stepped on by the winners can still have their say. He’s a flawed hero, to be sure, but he’s a hero who stands up to violence and those who perpetrate it. Dre, got to write their own history.ĭre was among the producers for the film, and his character is written as undeniably heroic. The problem with the film is that the winners, specifically Dr. Gary Gray, with the help of cinematographer Matthew Libatique, created a film that’s gorgeous to look at, and has been praised by people who experienced the time and place the film covers – such as Selma director Ava DuVernay in a tweet storm about her reaction to the movie. Stylish and gritty, Straight Outta Compton will surely become the definitive visual history of the musical revolution set off by artists Easy-E, Dr. ![]() It’s frustrating because the shortcomings of the narrative detract from what is otherwise a powerful piece of filmmaking. By that standard, Straight Outta Compton is a frustrating disappointment. The filmmakers have to hone in very carefully on important episodes that will convey the essence of the people and times the film covers, to audiences that might not have context for any of it. Depicting the events of even a few years of a person’s life is incredibly hard to do. The question with biopics is always what should be included, and what’s reasonable to leave out. ![]()
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