Narration and a flashback then send the action to the ’70s Bronx, where young Marcus (a convincing Marc John Jefferies), who doesn’t know who his father was, is being raised by drug dealing mama Katrina (Serena Reeder) with the help of other relatives. Violent grabber of an opening has Marcus (50 Cent) and cohorts barging into a Latino-run money laundering office to pull off a big robbery, a fiasco that leads to Marcus lying on the street about to be shot. All the same, “Get Rich” can be seen as something of a companion piece to Sheridan’s last film, “In America,” in its view of striving against the tide toward vindication and success through self-reliance in New York City. When the film draws to a close and Young Caesar/50 Cent the legend is born, nothing seems extraordinary about his rise to fame except its predictability.Although 50 Cent is the big story here, the pic is notable as a departure for director Jim Sheridan, inasmuch as it marks his first feature on a non-Irish subject. Young Caesar (Marcuss rap moniker) is then immediately embraced by the streets. Even his post-shoot out blacklisting at record companies seems inconsequential 50 and his crew simply decide to start dropping mixtapes. Though he relied on drug money as his sole source of income, after he goes straight, we never see him struggle to pay for anything from studio time to pamper money. He robs a high level rival drug organization with no repercussions and is basically left to his own devices after an attempt by his former affiliates to kill him goes awry. Marcus is virtually untouchable as the films hustling hero. Bryants Charlene is way too smart to remain with such a thug-even if the sexual chemistry is crazy.
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Charlenes unquestionable loyalty and almost conflict free acceptance of his lifestyle isnt realistic, particularly because shes managed to escape the hoods desperation. He easily wins his girl Charlene, played by Joy Bryant, who seems too good for Marcus despite his street success and their childhood friendship. There is no moment of heart racing fear that Marcus might actually be contemplating suicide-only the certainty that his character has the brute strength necessary to overcome anything.Įverything comes easy to Marcus, even in the midst of his struggle to change his life from gangster to rapper. Never does 50s performance ever illuminate the tumultuous emotions that his character should be feeling in the hole, even with him narrating. When Marcuss brash street antics land him in jail and eventually in solitary confinement after a brutal shower fight scene, a guard tosses him a razor blade, delivering the implicit message that Marcus should kill himself.
Actor Marcus John Jeffriess portrayal of young Marcus renders the character real in a way that 50 never does.Īs Marcus, the only emotion that 50 can convincingly convey is anger, anger at his grandparents, at his crew and at the world. Marcus, 50s film alter ego, is left orphaned after his drug dealing but glamorously feminine mother is brutally murdered in their small apartment (there are no traces of the hardcore lesbian mom that the rapper candidly portrayed to the media.) Forced to move in with his grandparents, the youngsters rebellion and anger is palpable. Despite the assistance of celebrated director Jim Sheridan, a winner of two Academy Awards, and a talented supporting cast, Curtis Jackson the man fails to come through on screen, leaving the audience with what amounts to a feature length music video. The real challenge of his Get Rich or Die Tryin (MTV Films/Paramount) film is to weave humanity into ∿iddys mythical journey from small time hustler to bullet-riddled superstar. Thanks to his colossal debut album Get Rich or Die Tryin and commercial omnipresence, everyone knows the saga of 50 Cent.
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Artist: Movie Review Title: Get Rich or Die Tryin’ (Film) Rating: 2 1/2 Stars Reviewed by: Imani A.
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