A Tupac biopic was well overdue! When I say I was excited when I first saw the previews for this movie, I truly mean that! There’d been talk about a Tupac biopic film and then it would die down, then it would start up again. Then I received an email about being an extra in the movie and at that moment I knew it was about to happen for real this time. So my feelings and review on this movie is more than just from the perspective of a movie lover or music lover, but it is both plus a Tupac Shakur lover.
All Eyez On Me began with the release of Tupac’s mother, Afeni Shakur, from prison and this sets the tone for the world that Tupac was raised and how it shaped his brilliant mind. The story then leads us through the many ups and downs and built and broken relationships in Tupac’s life as a child all the way up to adulthood. I love the fact that the movie displayed how talented and driven Tupac was as a teenager in school and his thirst for knowledge and not being caged in a mental block. I mean he knew and quoted Shakespeare as if it was apart of his native tongue. The movie took on a narrative theme by continuing to go back and forth from showing his life to the interview in jail.
Of course the movie had to bring in the connections and relationships of Tupac to Jada Pinkett-Smith, Kidada Ann Jones, Biggie Smalls, Suge Knight, Death Row, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, and Digital Underground. From here we are able to get a good idea of the man Tupac was and how he was determined to get heard, express his reality, change the rap game, branching out and becoming a great actor, and ultimately let it be known that you do not mess with Tupac! It even showed that no matter how brilliant Tupac was, since he did not change his environment it negatively affected his life and decisions. Finally, the movie ends with showing the fight in the Vegas casino, the hesitations of Tupac and his fiancée to actually go back out after the fight, and then the horrible shooting which ultimately lead to his untimely death.
All Eyez On Me took me back to a time in my childhood where music was raw and true, it had meaning, and it taught it’s listeners something. Music was deep. This movie had me all in my feelings, rapping the songs, reminiscing back to moments when I was young and watching the videos, it made me remember what was going on when the songs were released, and I even got emotional when I watched the Vegas shooting scene and his death was portrayed at the end. However, there are 2 things that I am a little disappointed with that wasn’t displayed in the biopic. First, I feel the acting was subpar throughout the movie and if the acting would’ve been better and displayed more of a connection to their characters, this movie would’ve been super amazing. The actors and actresses that played Tupac, Suge Knight, Kidada Ann Jones, Atron, and Shock G/Humpy carried the movie and did a excellent job. (Their names are listed below) I was so surprised at how the actor embodied Tupac’s mannerisms and even facial expressions and just the mere fact of how closely he resembles Tupac made it even better and scary at the same time. The next thing I was disappointed with was even though the movie tried very hard to include the hits and to display that he was an amazing artist, I feel they fell a short with portraying the overall revolutionary, lyrical genius, and visionary that he was. He was more than just an ex-convict, a great rapper and actor on a mission in the entertainment industry, and sometimes a “hot head”. Tupac was a son of a revolutionist who used his platform to be a revolutionist in his own right, he was a truth teller and seeker, he changed the game of hip-hop, he was a lyrical genius, highly educated in the streets and books, survivor and perseverer, even though he was “self-destructing” he had a conscious and was very influential, he was a lover, and a martyr.
If you are a Tupac lover, you will love this film and I highly recommend watching it. However, if you are anything like me, now is a good time to go see it because one thing I do not like is a movie spoiler. You know the type of people who talk loud, do not have movie theater etiquette, smacks so loud on the popcorn, overly slurps their drinks, and constantly talking on their phone. I want to enjoy the ENTIRE movie I am watching without uncalled for distractions.
I give this movie 4 out of 5 Swirls.
