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Reviewed: "Notorious"

Notorious, the new film starring impressive new comer and Brooklyn rapper, Jamal Woodard as the Notorious B.I.G., exemplifies the word, in every sense; but manages to make no sense. The film which tells the tale of Biggie's struggle from street hustler to Hip Hop Legend, clearly outlines his life; but just as a half ass essay, doesn't fill in all the key details. Frankly it leaves you knowing no more about him then most of the industry and public already did. If not, less.

Continue Reading 'Reviewed: "Notorious"'

In this past few years there has notably been a frenzy of entertainers and/or estate owners willing to sell the stories about the biggest legends in the business for an iconic Bio Pic Box Office Draw (i.e. Ray, Ali and Johnny Cash). What separates them with Notorious, is that most other films have done a great job at piecing together true insight into the minds and emotions that drove their protagonists to their highs and lows, that play out in the plot of their lives. This movie is more like a grade school biography, with all the bells and whistles you could wish for, and superb acting and music. In the 5th grade it may earn an A, but in High School or College, aka the real world, it's just barely passing. I'm guessing that when his Mother Voletta Wallace, and BIG's two former managers joined up to produce the film with Diddy, who has executive in front of his title, they were more focused on making a wildly entertaining Technicolor piece, praising his imperfect perfection, than casting light on the thoughts hidden in the corners of his mind. And although you may start singing and clapping your hands to the classic soundtrack, or sobbing during dramatic scenes, you never know why the man, the legend, the myth, did anything he did, except rap.

In the movie, which was written by Reggie Rock Bythewood and Cheo Hodari Coker, (who also wrote Biggie's biography), it is clear that the diamond in the rough is Jamal, who epitomizes the charisma, likability and performer that was The Notorious B.I.G.. Although, in his debut role Woodard doesn't have to struggle between the emotional transitions, that perhaps Jamie Foxx or Will Smith dove into, to identify the true characteristics of Ray Charles or Muhammad Ali, because director, George Tillman Jr., simply cuts away to the next scene when it gets intense. You can literally see the rapper 'fighting' with anyone of the three love interests in the movie, his baby's mother, (Julia Pace Mitchell), side partner rapper Lil' Kim (Naturi Naughton) and wife Faith Evans (Antonique Smith), and a few scenes later, it was back to happy-ville. Clearly the people close to the film project were not familiar with how the loveable Big Papa made everything alright again with his women. Something I and many others would love to understand.Including BIG's own mother, who, when interviewed by Short-E, for 103.5 KBMB, stated that after the movie, she is still puzzled by his love affair, and abuse of Lil' Kim. What happened in those raw and rare moments? Without the proper input, the movie can't even begin to try and answer this.

The choppiness of the movie doesn't even start with his mood swings with women. In the opening scene, his son Christopher Jordan Wallace is portraying BIG on his stoop in Brooklyn writing some rhymes. Then in a blink of an eye, the soon to be legend is already coming out of jail, is a father and a street hustler. Similar to the loosely written script that turned into the horrific Get Rich or Die Trying. Except in Biggie's movie, once the screen flashes to him becoming an icon, there is enough entertainment, to drown out the questions. It seems it's the movie sells the soundtrack more than the epic of The Notorious B.I.G..

What also vexed me, is the downplay of the West Coast, East Coast beef that helped to elevate careers; while killing BIG and Tupac Shakur. Not only did Anthony Mackie did a worse than a terrible job, of immortalizing the complex mind that defined Pac; but that rivalry was belittled to a simple misunderstanding, and did nothing to mention how it drove two sides of the Country into a mock cold war with each other. What about the amount of added press coverage and record sales it helped with? Or the thoughts that raced through BIG's head when he found out he was this influential? Simply put there is no definite critique or philosophy that could have been unique to BIG; based on the experiences depicted in the film.

There are some lukewarm performances by C. Malik Whitfield and Kevin Phillips (BIGs two managers) and Derek Luke as Diddy. Naturi Naughton does her best to play a watered down, but (dare I say this), overly sexed Lil' Kim; and does stupid things like shows her Va-jay jay to audience when mad at BIG. Angela Basset, who resembles Ms. Wallace in no way, is introduced after having surgery for Cancer and disappears for more than an hour of the film; which actually coincides with how much influence and input BIG's Mother had in his career and life.

All in all, when you leave the theater you will a have a few thoughts will pop in conversation, during your personal reviews with your own acquaintances. One thing you will all agree upon is that the music is the life of the movie, and the movie is like watching a party unfold, so there is no question about the entertainment factor. But there will also be a flutter of 'why's, 'what's and 'beacuse's, that you can't figure out. There is no point of a movie that can't answer the questions.