Get Rich or Die Tryin' (film)
| Get Rich or Die Tryin' | |
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| Directed by | Jim Sheridan |
| Produced by | Jimmy Iovine Chris Lighty Paul Rosenberg Jim Sheridan |
| Written by | Terence Winter |
| Starring | Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson Terrence Howard Joy Bryant Bill Duke Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje Omar Benson Miller Viola Davis |
| Music by | Quincy Jones Gavin Friday Maurice Seezer |
| Cinematography | Declan Quinn |
| Editing by | Roger Barton Conrad Buff |
| Studio | MTV Films G-Unit Films Interscope/Shady/Aftermath Films |
| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
| Release date(s) | November 9, 2005 |
| Running time | 117 minutes |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $40,000,000 |
| Box office | $46,442,528 |
Get Rich or Die Tryin' is a 2005 American crime drama film starring 50 Cent. It is 50 Cent's first film as an actor. It was released on November 9, 2005, and was known as Locked and Loaded during production. Similar to the 2002 Eminem film 8 Mile, which it used as a template,[1] the film is an autobiographical film account of 50 Cent's own life. It was directed by 6-time Academy Award-nominee Jim Sheridan.
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Plot[edit]
Marcus (Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson) is a quiet young boy who adores his loving mother (Serena Reeder), and the two live a relatively comfortable life as his mother is a local drug dealer. She often has to leave him with his grandparents to be looked after while she takes care of her business. But after she is brutally murdered in an apparent drug deal gone wrong, Marcus heads down the wrong road himself. Forced to live with his grandparents full-time, they themselves having many children too, he finds his life less appealing as his grandfather works long hours to support the large family. As he grows older, he enters the drug game himself, buying new clothing and even a gun. Eventually he abandons high school to sell drugs for local kingpin Levar (Bill Duke) and his underling, Majestic, (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje) full time. Majestic, however, has plans of his own to become a major drug lord himself.
Years later, after he reunites with his childhood sweetheart (Joy Bryant), he is thrown in jail. During his time in prison, he befriends a fellow inmate named Bama (Terrence Howard). Marcus decides to leave the drug trade behind in order to pursue and eventually fulfill his lifelong dream of becoming a rap-star and entertainer, calling himself Young Caesar, after the Roman conqueror himself, with Bama as his manager and producer.
Unfortunately, he and his drug crew end up robbing a local shop, and Majestic doesn't want to let him go, resulting in a tragedy that might have destroyed his life forever. Marcus is gunned down outside of his family's home by his associate Justice (Tory Kittles), who secretly works for Majestic, posing as Marcus' friend just to obtain information and report back to Majestic. The shooting leads Marcus to rethink his life and put his priorities in order, including that of his young child. Angered that he failed to kill Marcus, Majestic brutally murders Justice with a sword cane. Shortly after, Marcus meets with Levar, who remorsefully reveals that he is his biological father, and regrets not being there for him and his mother.
Marcus begins preparations to go on stage and begin his walk of becoming a top-notch and real entertainer, donning a bulletproof vest for his protection from his enemies. In the moments before the show, he gains the ire of Majestic, who comes to him with a revelation that he was the one who murdered his mother years earlier. A fight ensues and leaves Marcus the victor and, finally at peace with his inner demons, leaves Majestic at the hands of his cronies. As he walks out towards the crowd he stops as he hears a lone gunshot in the room behind him, implying Majestic is now dead, which is confirmed as the film cuts to Bama shooting up Majestic's corpse.
As Marcus steps onto the stage to perform for the waiting crowd, he removes the bulletproof vest he had on, showing he was no longer afraid to be who he was meant to be.
Cast[edit]
- Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson as Marcus
- Terrence Howard as Bama
- Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje as Majestic
- Joy Bryant as Charlene
- Omar Benson Miller as Kyrl
- Tory Kittles as Justice
- Ashley Walters as Antoine
- Marc John Jefferies as Young Marcus
- Viola Davis as Grandma
- Sullivan Walker as Grandpa
- Serena Reeder as Katrina
- Bill Duke as Levar
- Mpho Koaho as Junebug
- Russell Hornsby as Odell
- Joseph Pierre as Uncle Deuce
- Ryan Allen as Uncle Roy
- Ben Walsh as 15 Euro
- Mykelti Williamson as Charlene's step-father (uncredited)
Soundtrack[edit]
The soundtrack was released on November 8, 2005. In December 2005, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified the album platinum.[2] The album has so far sold over 3 million copies worldwide.
Controversy[edit]
Samuel L. Jackson publicly turned down an offer to co-star in the film, citing that he did not want to lend credence to what he believed was an inexperienced and unproven actor.[3] Film critic Roger Ebert wrote of Jackson's decision: "Like Bill Cosby, Jackson is arguing against the anti-intellectual message that success for young black males is better sought in the worlds of rap and sports than in the classroom".[4] Jackson and 50 Cent later co-starred in the 2006 film Home of the Brave.
Reception[edit]
Reception to Get Rich or Die Tryin by critics was poor; it holds a 16% rating at Rotten Tomatoes based upon 117 reviews.[5] The Radio Times criticized the film, saying that "as a vehicle for hip-hop superstar Curtis '50 Cent' Jackson, this [film] runs out of gas a fair few kilometres short", giving it a "could be worse" rating of 2/5 stars.[1] CinePassion stated that "[Jim] Sheridan's surface vividness is applied around a vacuum."[6] FilmFocus was harsh, saying that the film's "real danger is that it sets a precedent for the director; if the price is right he's on board."[7] The BBC was not entirely impressed with the film, saying that "while it boasts a first-class director and is loosely based on the singer's own life-story, the results leave you feeling a little short-changed."[8]
Jonathan Ross gave a positive review, calling Get Rich or Die Tryin' "gripping" and suggesting that it had "excellent performances".[9] Roger Ebert also praised the film, giving the film a 3 out of 4 rating and saying that it was "a film with a rich and convincing texture, a drama with power and anger".[10]
Get Rich or Die Tryin' grossed $12,020,807 in its opening weekend. Altogether, the film grossed $46,442,528 in total worldwide.[11]
References[edit]
- ^ a b Get Rich or Die Tryin' film review - Radio Times
- ^ RIAA Searchable Database - "Get Rich or Die Tryin". Recording Industry Association of America. Accessed May 21, 1932.
- ^ "FemaleFirst". PROUD JACKSON TURNS DOWN 50 CENT FILM ROLE. Retrieved August 20, 2006.
- ^ "RogerEbert.com". Coach Carter (PG-13). Retrieved August 20, 2006.
- ^ Get Rich or Die Tryin' at Rotten Tomatoes
- ^ CinePassion's review of Get Rich or Die Tryin'
- ^ FilmFocus.co.uk[dead link]
- ^ BBC - Movies - Review - Get Rich Or Die Tryin'
- ^ Film 2006 (Talk show). BBC. 2006.
- ^ Roger Ebert's review of Get Rich or Die Tryin'
- ^ Get Rich or Die Tryin' (2005) - International Box Office Results - Box Office Mojo
External links[edit]
- Official website
- Get Rich or Die Tryin' at the Internet Movie Database
- Get Rich or Die Tryin' at AllRovi
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