latinfineart I really liked this film. I will quality that by saying I am a white man, in his early 60's who likes hip-hop, but does not care much for the product out there these days. I do like some progressive and underground hip-hop. These were the glory days of hip-hop, no doubt. The film is populated by giants, such as Biggie, Tupac, Puffy, Shug (a large sized man, and an incredibly tiny human being, who in my opinion was more than likely responsible for the murder of this musical giant) Faith Evans, Lil Kim, and others. The performances were uniformly good, especially Jamal Woolard, who literally inhabited Biggie's soul, during this film. Derek Luke was excellent at Puffy, and Anthony Mackie was decent as Tupac. How does anyone play Tupac? These characters are so much larger than life.Wallace was shot and killed in March 1997 after leaving a party, and despite numerous lawsuits and court cases, no arrests were ever made. It would be easy, then, to paint the performer as somewhat of a saint. But the script doesn't shy away from Wallace's shortcomings. He began dealing drugs at a young age, did jail time, had a sometimes-volatile temper and wasn't a picture-perfect husband and father.As the titular character, Jamal Woolard expertly drives that point home. Bringing such an iconic modern figure (back) to life is a heady task, but Woolard nails Wallace's musical and emotional complexities. That Woolard is a first-time actor (and fledgling rapper) makes it all the more impressive. Woolard's doughy face and soulful eyes give his performance added layers of emotion. He captures some nice subtleties, both in the dramatic scenes and performance pieces. And he plays things light when needed, especially in spry scenes with his female co-stars. Angela Bassett's role as steely mom Voletta, who survived a bout with breast cancer, could have veered into thankless territory. But Bassett is such a good actress that the role crackles with energy. All the motherly fear and worry for a son read on her face in almost every scene. This is a very good piece of filmmaking, about a hugely important man, and his music. To call him a genius, a great storyteller, and a brilliant rapper, would be to dramatically understate the obvious. Who, in this day and age comes even close to this man?

SnoopyStyle In 1997, Christopher Wallace aka rapper Biggie Smalls is gunned down. Back in 1983 Brooklyn, Christopher is a bright student with an overprotective mother (Angela Bassett). He decides to follow his friend D-Roc into selling crack hiding his gangster life from his mother. His girlfriend tells him she's pregnant. He start rhyming while selling crack eventually beating another guy in a street battle. His mother kicks him out and he gets thrown in prison. Eventually he gets signed by Puffy Combs (Derek Luke) and marries singer Faith Evans (Antonique Smith). His friendship with Tupac Shakur (Anthony Mackie) turns sour.This is a rather traditional music biopic. It could have been more intense considering the subject. It should have been more than a run-of-the-mill production. Jamal Woolard provides a charismatic center. Even his narrations are compelling. He's also joined by other good actors. I'm not convinced about Derek Luke but Angela Bassett is terrific.

Prismark10 Notorious is a cliché ridden, badly scripted, by the numbers and shallow biopic of New York rapper Christopher 'Notorious B.I.G' Wallace.If it was not for the fact that he died in 1997 I could have sworn he was an Executive Producer of this movie given how much this film hypes him up. A school nerd turned big time drug dealer and babe magnet. It did not matter if a girl in the hood showed no interest in his large girth. A few sweet words, a smile and they would be humping his large frame. This happens repeatedly throughout the film.Now I once knew a fat guy who was a babe magnet, he was also a small time drug dealer. Which begs the question did all these women fall at his feet because Notorious was a rapper or drug dealer or a nobody with lots of charm?The movie deals and speaks in clichés throughout. A character mentions not once but twice lines like, 'we are not here to play the game but to take over the game.' Many of the themes dealt here were better in earlier films like Hustle and Flow and Get rich or die trying. They also had better music.Many of the side characters are depicted in a shallow way. Sean Combs was a producer in this film and he just happens to be portrayed as a great guy in this film. Lil Kim goes from a sweet office worker to a sex bomb. Angela Bassett is a hard working, virtuous mother, who raises Notorious single handedly but her Jamaican accent is a bit off. Tupac Shakur pops in and out of this film but his shooting marks a turning point in this film and the east and west coast rivalry in the mid 1990s.The movie never deals in depth as to what was the cause of this rivalry and why Shakur was shot. The film is not interested in the casual viewer but seems to be squarely aimed at fans of Notorious B.I.G and rap enthusiasts.Even at the end of the movie it is shown that Notorious was maturing, learnt the errors of his way but again its just clichés. I was more interested to know why if it was so dangerous for him to go to California, why did he not wear a bulletproof vest and drive around in a bulletproof car with heavy security? He certainly had the money for it, so was he just arrogant or plain dumb? The film never deals with it but in real life someone would had asked those basic questions.

g-bodyl Notorious is a nice, interesting biography that chronicles the life of Notorious B.I.G and his rise to fame and his downfall. I'm not a rap person at all, but the film has gotten me interested in the late 1990's battle between East Coast versus West Coast. All of this drama and rivalry is very intriguing and which resulted in the deaths of two talented rappers.George Tillman Jr's film is the story about B.I.G and how he grew up in the ghetto selling drugs to becoming a worldwide phenomenon who lost his life at the very young age of 24. This story also accounts for his friendship turned enemies in Tupac Shakur who also lost his life at a very young age.The acting is actually not too bad. I have never heard of Jamal Woolward before but he is pretty good as B.I.G. Anthony Mackie does a good job as Tupac. Angela Bassett is really good as B.I.G's mother who cares for him very much.Overall, this is a solid biography that may teach you a thing or two. I wasn't as moved as most people but that is because this is not my kind of music at all. But it's still worth a watch just for seeing what an interesting character B.I.G was. I rate this film 8/10.