The moment I found out there would be a Tupac movie, i was over joyed. I’ve been a Tupac fan from my childhood however, as time passed and read about the controversy surrounding the movie production. I got very worried that they would screw this one up.
My brother and I had planned this years ago, we decided to go support and watch it regardless of the many negatives feedbacks by celebrities and friends.
The movie begins with the infamous Interview of Tupac telling the story about his life from babyhood to a reporter. You are navigated through the journey of his turmoil of life. I have to say that i can definitely understand why so many people were left unsatisfied by the movie. The actors did an amazing job impersonating and telling the story as they were told to tell it. But the producers completely failed to capture Tupac’s essence. They portrait him as a man who could not make appropriate decision on his own, followed rather than being a leader. A man that barely made an impact besides concentrating on the Rape case more than anything else. Which was the total opposite of what we grew up seeing. The exact opposite of what the people surrounding him ever said. Some key moments, such has him speaking to the judge, was greatly downplayed. They downplayed the impact of his mother before she gave birth, how of a victory it was and stressful that Tupac would have grew up in the system. These moments are what forged him to be one of the biggest voice, advocate in the Hip-Hop history.
They also failed to capture Tupac’s love for the art itself. Tupac was driving by emotions and that too, they failed in most of the movie but when giving, Demetrius nailed. Tupac was inspired by many actual events that led him to write these inspirational lyrics, speak up about them, where his anger came from etc. Sure they breezed through Brenda’s got a baby, Keep you head up and such.
On the bright side, those who didn’t know much about Tupac, a lot in the movie is still accurate. We have to understand that the producers concentrated on telling the story, through Tupac’s eyes. Tupac was such a complexe man. So many of us counted on an amazing Biopic, the likes of The Notorious Big and Straight out of Compton.
Overall It’s not a bad movie, I enjoyed singing all the songs during the movie. Demetrius Jr was able to mimic Tupac exactly in the live performances. Kate Graham is a great actress but didn’t feel she was the best option for Jada Pinkett, she lacked the fierceness. Danai Gurira was a great choice to portrait the late Afeni Shakur.
But I am like the others, disappointed of the movie. Tupac has accomplished so much, has been the voice of the black community even years after his death. The artist, the poet, the advocate, the tormented. His mother as well. And the movie did not bring any of these facts in play until the end of the movie in a couple line that probably most people barely even read.
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