Scott Bush

In a fit of rap-inspired clicking, I added Get Rich or Die Tryin’ to our Netflix queue. Last week it arrived and I watched it—to my surprise, with Crystal. I hadn’t expected her to want to see it, being a psuedo bio-pic about 50 Cent, the popular ganster rap star and founder of the “G-Unit clique.” My impression? Watchable (assuming you don’t mind F- and S-bombs and consistent depictions of gun violence), though I have some misgivings.

Plot

The story follows Curtis (hmmm… isn’t that 50 Cent’s real first name, too?), a young boy growing up in the ghetto (of Chicago? St. Louis? Atlanta? If the film said, I missed it) after the murder of his mother. Desire for wealth and power leads him to dealing crack with is crew, eventually “rising to power” among his gang. After a stint in jail, he decides to pursue his dream of becoming a rapper under the name Young Caeser. Rapping is intertwined with his life as a gangster and gets him in trouble with his drug-dealing superiors, Colombian drug dealers, and a rival rapper. Tie all that up with a search for his mother’s murderer, whom he pursues with the same ferocity as OJ’s search for the “real killers,” which is to say not very much. Oh, and there’s a love interest and family drama subplot tacked on.

Glorifying the lifestyle?

After a few days’ digestion, I still couldn’t decide whether the film glorified this violent lifestyle, fueled by drug money and a desire for power at all costs. I asked myself: If I was a teen living a difficult life in the city and saw this movie, would I want to emulate it? Tough question for me; but I’m only imagining myself as someone else. An answer may come a lot easier to someone struggling each day.

On one hand, you see Curtis murder, rob, steal and in turn be shot and have friends (and his own monther) killed. Not really an advertisement for the good life. But the movie glosses over these events, which would be all-consumingly negative. For example, one of his crew is shot and is paralyzed. The movie follows Curtis and the others as they seek revenge; later, we see the one who was shot acting as a lookout for the crew during a robbery–from his weheelchair. When Curtis himself is shot nine time, we see the surgeons working on him and then recovering in a nice house we’ve not seen before. Clearly, these guys don’t have health insurance… so who’s paying for this? Where are the bills, the police investigations, the other unfortunate facts of life that would accompany these horrific events in real life?

On the other hand, Curtis seems pre-destined to greatness despite his acts of violence and lawlessness, which seem to have no negative consequence. (Even is stint in jail resulted in further confidence in his rapping and the serendipitous meeting of his future manager.) When Curtis is shot multiple times, the final bullet misses his head by a chance. His beautiful girlfriend (with whom he grew up) seems oblivious to—or choses to ignore—the terrible things he does. They have a son, yet never are we shown any morning sickness, pre-natal medical care, the birth itself, or any of the responsibilities of parenthood. The final scene is the pinnacle of this “path to greatness” theme. Curtis, or rather “Young Caesar” prepares for a concert in his old neighborhood when he’s approached by the leader of his former drug gang. Of course there’s an altercation and his enemy is shot and killed by Curtis’ entourage, but not before it’s revealed that the very same man also murdered his mother. Not a problem for Curtis; he turns his back and starts rapping to his adoring fans. Very well done indeed. Oh, and how is it that he’s so ripped when he never seems to work out?

I know it’s a bio-pic and rappers aren’t exactly known for their humility. But the overall message seems to be: do what you need to do to get what you want; damn your family, friends, the law, common sense, self-preservation, morality, etc. to get it. Not exactly the message I’d want my teen-age kids (if I had them) to take away. It’s not all bad, though. Young Caesar does advocate making protein shakes with Cristal, which I must admit is classy.