(Credit: Netflix)

Celebrity-led hip-hop movies are not exactly unicorn happenings in showbiz. You look around and you find plenty. But on Netflix, you cannot find another inspirational movie as real and grounded as 8 Mile.

Directed by Curtis Hanson, this 2002 biographical film recounts the rise of Eminem as Jimmy Smith Jr in the hip-hop industry, a genre originally dominated by African Americans. Starring Eminem in his film debut, the movie contains autobiographical truths of his life, capturing his struggles to establish a career in the music industry.

8 Mile is conceived at the heart of working-class Detroit, and the worldbuilding is utterly realistic. If you’ve been a fan of Eminem, then you’ll find his lyrical masterpieces come to life within the film, from the worn-down trailer parks to the run-down factories. Hanson does a great job of excluding the glorification, despite highlighting his underdog arc.

8 Mile is less about his transformation into one of the greatest rappers hip-hop has ever seen. It’s much more about the recognition which comes organically with him finding his voice. The film makes one thing very clear: the protagonist, Jimmy Smith Jr, doesn’t start rapping without talent. In fact, he has plenty. But what’s also clear as daylight is that even with that amount of skill, it’s difficult to luck out when nothing works in your favour.

If you ever feel underestimated, make 8 Mile your mantra. Once you do, this will be a go-to movie on your worst days and probably even on the best ones. And if you’re a fan of his music, we believe, then you’ve already caught up with it. However, just because you’ve watched it before, it doesn’t mean you cannot do it again. No matter how many years pass and the number of crowns Eminem wears now, 8 Mile will always hit home.

As for the takeaways from 8 Mile, the highlights are planted in each and every scene. Whether it’s Eminem’s acting, the cutthroat and brutal rap battles, the unforgettable one-liners, or simply the camaraderie between his pals, everything makes it a complete package. You cannot really single them out, except, of course, the ultimate battle where he goes, “Everybody from the 313…”

8 Mile, in all its essence, is not just a hip-hop movie. It’s a beautiful character-driven drama and a piece of lyrical and cinematic genius that has yet to find a competitor as inspirational, raw, unflinching, and fascinating as this. For those unaware, the movie is currently streaming on Netflix US.