8 Mile is a
American hip-hop drama film, directed by
Curtis Hanson and starring Marshall Mathers (
Eminem),
Kim Basinger,
Brittany Murphy, and
Mekhi Phifer.
The film is a biographical account of Eminem's early years in relative poverty growing up in
Detroit, and his early career in rap. As such, the film is set in the underground Detroit hip hop scene in 1995. The film depicts white rapper Jimmy "B-Rabbit" Smith Jr. (based upon a younger Eminem) as he struggles for respect among his black peers.
The film was a financial success, was well received critically, and won an
Academy Award for the
Best Original Song for
Eminem's "
Lose Yourself", becoming the first film with a rap/hip-hop song to win an Academy Award.
[www.imdb.com/title/tt0298203/trivia]