‘Coffee shops and existentialism just go together…’
It’s easy to forget how successful 8 Mile was upon release back in 2002. It grossed nearly $250 million, received critical acclaim and the soundtrack won an Oscar for Chrissakes. As a result of this, Eminem’s acting debut casts a long shadow over the battle rap genre. Bodied not only features a nerdy white boy entering the world of underground battle rap but it is also co-produced by Eminem’s production company Shady Films. Even taking all this into account, Joseph Kahn’s film manages to not only stand on its own two feet but to thrive very much as its own thing…
Adam (Calum Worthy) is a white college student who comes from a rich background in the midst of writing his dissertation on battle rap. Bodied charts his rise from bit-part player to respected battle rapper through his friendship with fellow rapper Behn Grymm (Jackie Long) and his relationship with his long-suffering girlfriend Maya (Rory Uphold).
The key to the success of 8 Mile is that the battles themselves feel both organic and highly skilled. Just like a musical lives and dies on its songs, a battle rap movie first and foremost needs to boast top-notch rapping. And this is why Bodied is so good. And this is a genuinely great film. The first hour does a solid job in world-building and arranging the chess pieces but it is the third act in which this film takes off. By the conclusion, Bodied feels like a cross between Rocky and 8 Mile, and I don’t say that lightly. Kahn’s script is excellent but it is Long and particularly Worthy that bring it to life, by the end I was fully invested, despite a slow start.
It’s easy to dismiss Bodied. Don’t. This a compelling and captivating film that deserves a bigger audience.