Polaris_DiB Hip-hop culture meets existentialist drama? Amazing! Oh, but it really is. I've never really liked rap or hip-hop or whichever subgenre you choose to label it, but eventually I was able to accept that there must be SOME good stuff out there... I just didn't feel like going to find it. What I probably needed earlier on was something like this movie.If you want to discuss hip-hop as art, this movie can cement the foundry. It's a split narrative about a boy who loses his brother because of two men robbing and stabbing him, and his dream to become a hip hop star and how he must overcome his grief to do it. Alternatively, he has nightmares about living the ultra conformist life of a cop, a la his father's vision, a joyless life of drink and slummy apartments and never getting along with his friends, his confidants, or his coworkers. The cop side-story is a little bit overblown, as is his father, but it's still an effort towards symbolism that's noteworthy.Now the most interesting thing about this movie is that it's actually a musical, that is to say, a movie where the character development is often represented through song and lyrics instead of dialog. One of the most amazing parts of this movie is the "Hip-Hop is Art" scene where Flip argues said point while the background features the rather abstract and distinctive movements of some breakdancers rolling to classical music. Movies or characters in movies arguing that hip-hop is art are a dime a dozen, but this one actually bothers to transcend said art to the filmed medium.But what makes it transcend even that level and actually prove its point majestically is its rather existential narrative structure that eventually pounds you with a twist at the end. Did I say the cop side-story was overblown? It makes sense in the weird circular construct of this movie's narration. Let's just say that the title, The Beat, can mean one of many things... The beat of music, the cop's beat, or a heartbeat. Who's heart beat is it from which the rest flow? --P

m_shamoo -This movie is definitely worth watching-From my movie watching experience I've gathered that it's a real challenge to make a quality, fictional portrayal of an up and coming rapper, or for that matter any film that centers around the hip-hop culture. First of all, this is a solid movie regardless of its subject matter. It's thoroughly entertaining, well acted, moving, humorous at times and all that good stuff. I would not go so far as to call this a great film, but it is a very good first effort from a director that you'll certainly hear about again (Brandon Sonnier). The music aspect is certainly just one facet of this movie, which is ultimately a pretty intense drama.As a hip-hop film, The Beat also succeeds. The main character does his own rhyming; well enough that it was difficult to tell whether he is an actor/rapper or a rapper/actor, which I guess is a good thing. If you like rap, the music in the film is good, not amazing, but definitely worthy of being listened to. If you don't like rap, I wouldn't expect to love the soundtrack, but I do think the music is palatable for almost all audiences. The portrayal of the hip-hop scene/culture is not over the top and all the characters are believable personalities. There are some rap stars in the film too, which adds a bit of attraction if you listen to hip-hop.Essentially, this is not another movie with Eminem or 50 Cent deciding to become movie stars. It's... better than that.

jason-368 Rahman Jamaal, the lead in this film blows my mind! He spits raps from freestyles to classical music emanating from a bus stop and makes Mr. Marshall Mathers look like a school boy. This is 8-mile with an independent spirit and very entertaining.This is not your normal bottom barrel indie film - it has high production value and looks and sounds fantastic.I hope the Director Brandon Sonnier has something else in the works because he certainly has talent. From what I've read he was the youngest director at 19 to ever have a film in the Sundance Film Festival.Definitely rent or buy this film.

John Seal Whilst The Beat may be somewhat predictable in its tale of a bright youngster trying to make it as a rapper in South Central Los Angeles, it is an impressive first outing for writer-director Brandon Sonnier. The sharp and believable screenplay has a sting in its tail, too, and the ending surprised me--not an easy accomplishment! Rahmaan Jamaal stars as Flip, a child of a racially mixed marriage who is trying to 'keep it real' by giving up a comfortable middle-class life for the street, where his muse can soak up enough ambiance to give his rapping an extra edge. Jamaal is a likable if limited actor, and the balance of the cast also does well, especially Michael Colyar as a scuffling talent agent who has precisely one business card and markets himself as 'Barnes and Knoble' ("the 'k' is silent!"). A very promising debut that also features some truly impressive freestyle rap. Highly recommended.