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Hard Knock Life
The past three weeks have been quite busy. Two weeks ago, I was the best man at my best friend's wedding. The couple's Cuban honeymoon got shaken by hurricane Michelle last weekend. They're all right but I'm sure they will have one heck of a story to tell when they come back. I have been writing a TV pilot in French. Will it lead to something? I doubt it but we will see. Got a rude awakening last Tuesday morning, when my mom threw a large package on my bed. I wasn't that mad when I discovered what was inside. Today has the first script review, I'll follow with The Life of David Gale next week. In the meantime, I'll be playing Project Gotham on the rented X-Box. Enjoy!
Untitled Detroit Project Script Review
Marshall Mathers. His work ignites a passionate reaction from everybody. He has been called a musical genius while others have dubbed him everything that is wrong with today's society. His homophobic remarks, his explicit sexual references and his hymns to killing his wife have made Eminem the most controversial musical artist of the moment. His last album sold 10 millions copies in the States, while his group D-12's first album was #1 the week it was released. He's no Vanilla Ice and he seems to be here to stay. In the spring of 2000, not long after the standout debut of The Marshall Mathers LP, plans begun for him to jump-start his movie career. Scott Silver (The Mod Squad) was hired to write a script that would showcase Eminem's unique style. Loosely based on how he broke into the business, the project was going ahead. Then it got strange, Academy Award nominee Curtis Hanson (L.A. Confidential, Wonderboys) climbed on board the project to direct it. It was put on a fast track and the film began shooting a month ago in Detroit for a Summer 2002 release. The script I will be reviewing is dated April 27th, 2001 and it's the first rewrite draft. The script mentions that the title is Fight Music. According to Daily Variety, there have been rewrites since by screenwriter Jesse Wigutow.
We first meet Jimmy Smith Jr. aka B-Rabbit (Eminem) in a desolate bathroom of The Shelter, a hip hop club, having sex with a blonde girl. He's at the club to 'battle' with fellow rappers. The 'battles' are hosted by his best friend David Porter aka The Future (Mekhi Phifer). The concept of a 'battle' is a sixty second contest between two rappers who freestyle. It's fight music. Jimmy's first battle is a disaster where he remains speechless for the duration of his turn. Afterwards we begin to see Jimmy's life. He works as a bellboy in an hotel. He lost his car to his ex-girlfriend and he has to go back to stay with his mom Stephanie (Kim Basinger) and half-sister Lily. She's the perfect definition of poor white trash. Her abusive boyfriend is no older then Jimmy and they live in a trailer. The rest of the movie deals with Jimmy's quest for a record deal, redemption for his early battle disaster and his trials and tribulations to get out of 'the ghetto'. Along the way we meet the sexy Alex (Brittany Murphy), his crew RU486 and the shady Winks (Eugene Byrd) with his dream of recording a demo at Paisley Park with Prince. Oh yeah and remember to add a good dose of SEX, DRUGS and VIOLENCE.
I see this script as only the blueprint for the film. A lot of the final product we see next year will have to do with the musical numbers. I lost count of how many there are, but it's close to a dozen. All sorts of numbers. One that stuck in my mind was the Singin' in the Rain homage. Jimmy and Alex are on their way back from work and it's raining hard. He gets splashed by a car and he just begins to sing to impress her. Another good moment takes place in the hotel's kitchen where he does battle with a female cook for a hamburger. I'm curious to see who they pick to play that character. My vote is for Eve. At one point, Jimmy's imagination takes over and it becomes an animation sequence. It features Super-Jimmy who does what Jimmy only dreams of doing. Getting back at a rude customer, winning a battle and screwing the girl etc... Those sequences are well placed and should be a nice diversion from the grim tone of the film. This movie can be seriously called a hip hop musical. Scott Silver has done an incredible job with this script. All that needs to be added is the music. I don't think we will be disappointed in that department.
JIMMY
It's my birthday in a couple of weeks - An' It's like, I gotta do somethin', ya know? Somethin' real. I mean all I ever wanted to do was rap, yo - be an emcee. It's like do or die time for me now.
We have never really seen Eminem act before, so we do not know if he's talented or not. He has to be good to make this movie work. His character is so well constructed that if he fails, the entire film will sink. The persona and motivations of Jimmy are well constructed in the script. Scott Silver did a good job of showing off Jimmy's world and explaining what is wrong with it. He can't stand it anymore. His motivation are very well developed and I seriously believed in his character. Will Eminem make us believe in him too?
STEPHANIE
- I gave 'im that nickname. When he was little he had these buck teeth and big ears and he was so cute, wike a wittle rabbit -
When we first meet Stephanie, she's riding her boyfriend. Wait, it doesn't stop there. Later on, she tells her son (Eminem) that sexually it's not working with her boyfriend. He doesn't want to go down on her. I am not kidding. How messed-up can it get? I don't think we have ever seen Kim Basinger play a character like this one. It's the trailer park mom stereotype at its finest. She doesn't have a job, smokes, drinks heavily, and like to go play bingo. Those requirements have never been seen in Basinger's repertoire. But I doubt she will have any problems pulling that role off. Will I go as far and predict a nomination? I'm not that crazy, it's a freaking Eminem film. Those Academy members will have a heart attack within the first five minutes of this flick.
FUTURE
I had a lotta names, baby - The most jealous names. I used to be called Maximum, Brimstone, Godfather D - None of 'em worked, youknowwhatImsayin'? 'Til one day someone said I was the future of hip-hop in Detroit. And that was it.
Mekhi Phifer could possibly steal the movie from under Eminem. His role of Future, the host of the battles, is funny and interesting. 'Fuche' is Jimmy's best friend but his loyalty is put to the test. He tries to help his friend but he gets turned down. He's one of my favorite supporting players of the script. I have no worries that Mekhi can play this role in his sleep.
ALEX
- And I know that look 'cause I used to have have this "I'm better than you attitude" that made me like a real bitch. But I'm not gonna be doing this that long ya know. I can hardly wait to get outta this s***thole before I kill somebody -
There's not much to her character beside the way she is introduced. The script refers to her as 'The Honey-Dipped Girl'. Never heard anyone being called that before in a film but it seriously caught my attention. Is Brittany "I'll never tell" Murphy that hot? I don't know, but she can make up for that with what her character does...
Let the debate begin. Is it going to work? Will it be any good? Too many questions that we can't answer just yet. In my opinion, the blueprints are solid and very intriguing. All that's left is for the production team and cast to not f**k-up the project...
Stay tuned...
That's all folks...
Jean-François Allaire (aka DeadPool)
Questions, comments, praise etc. Email me at deadpool@tnmc.org
Jean-François Allaire is TNMC's first columnist. At only 24 years old he has become a respected entertainment journalist, with his columns appearing in Corona's Coming Attractions and Scr(i)pt magazine. He also writes a monthly column in Screenwriters Monthly entitled 'The Last Word.' Hailing from Montreal this young writer is determined to dig up all the details on the movies before they hit your local theater. If you're part of a movie production then you really need to be talking to him.
