'Straight Outta Compton' tells compelling, glossy story

The story of one of hip-hop’s legendary groups, N.W.A., finally reached audiences this summer with the release of the biopic “Straight Outta Compton.” The movie chronicles the life of Dr. Dre (Corey Hawkins), Eazy-E (Jason Mitchell) and Ice Cube (O'Shea Jackson Jr.) who, along with MC Ren (Aldis Hodge) and DJ Yella (Neil Brown Jr.), come together to form N.W.A.

The rap outfit gained notoriety by pushing the artificial limits of free speech, speaking out against the racial injustices they faced in their hometown of Compton, Calif. and doing so in a vulgar, gripping fashion. This tactic alarmed many who were too ignorant or neglected to realize the magnitude of racial tensions that plagued America in the late '80s; many felt that N.W.A. was the voice necessary to spread awareness on these issues and reach mainstream ears.

“Straight Outta Compton” spends enough time glamorizing the lifestyle of the five rappers to move the needle from documentary to biopic. There are plenty of marijuana-filled booth sessions and nude pool parties to keep viewers entertained and rolling their eyes. Still, the film is no doubt successful in showcasing the group's importance. “Straight Outta Compton” provides a snapshot of the hardships that came with being a young, black hip-hop artist in late '80s and early '90s America, as well as the considerable impact that N.W.A. had on America's musical and political landscape.

The movie is, itself, an imperfect biography of the group. It glosses over certain significant moments in N.W.A. and hip-hop's history and highlights other aspects that should not have been covered in depth. Some important facts were totally removed. For instance, Dr. Dre has been accused of assaulting women numerous times, but these facts were seemingly too dark to be kept in the movie. It also glamorizes segments in N.W.A.’s timeline that shouldn’t have been idealized, such as the members' poor treatment of women. In some ways, it is an accurate reflection of their lifestyle, if not always one that looks critically at some elements of that lifestyle.

“Straight Outta Compton,” though, does not make an effort to separate N.W.A.'s good achievements from its bad ones, and instead lumps them all together as the desired lifestyle of a group of artists that “made it.” The cheesy acting and inflated writing don't do much to fix the money-driven, clichéd feeling that this movie carries. Dr. Dre, who famously stalled the release of a "2001" (1999) follow-up, just released a new album, “Compton” (2015), which some argue was released for the sole purpose of promoting “Straight Outta Compton.” Were the remaining members of N.W.A. blinded by dollar signs? That may have been the case.

Still, one must remember that N.W.A. was a group built on shocking its audience, whether or not it was driven by good intentions. “Straight Outta Compton” is a very entertaining biopic, even for non-lovers of hip-hop, but viewers should not expect any deviation from the stereotypical snapshots that come with a typical rags-to-riches story. For a chronicling of N.W.A., it might not matter much, as the group is as in-your-face as it gets for music. Deep, troubling stories about N.W.A. are probably best left for a true documentary looking to be historically accurate.