Notorious

Notorious (2009)
Directed by George Tillman Jr
Starring Jamal Woolard, Mohamed Dione, Derek Luke

The life and death story of the Notorious BIG. It's hard for any actor to fill the shoes and imitate, impersonate, embody the soul of a Legend but Woolard nails it, his Biggie Smalls is spot on. This film blew me away. My friend Jonathan Silver edited a few very cool 'montage sequences' in the film so I was lucky to get a screening pass and see the film early. I didn't know what to expect as biopics are hard to get right, especially when the subject is someone recently deceased who is imprinted in the public consciousness.

I was very impressed by the performances and the up-close intimate approach to the storytelling. The film humanized BIG and connected to his story in an easy to follow, realistic manner. Woolard plays a sexy-cool BIG in the movie, defining the seductive side of BIG and how the ladies loved him. The film was respectful of everyone involved in the violent incidents involving Tupac and the eventual murder of BIG; it didn't point any fingers which is best given the case is still unsolved.

The film is really all about the music and how BIG made it happen, from rags to riches literally. The music is wall to wall in the film, the recreation of famous scenes of BIG on the street in rap-battles are just brilliant. Woolard raps in the exact same style and flow as BIG, very impressive. Its an excellent drama that clearly defines the pit-falls of overnight success and fame. It's a real shame what happened to BIG given how super talented and young he was. I remember listening to underground mix-tapes featuring BIG before I came to the US, in the very early nineties. Looking at him then who would have thought he'd become the super-star that he did; BIG had that one in a million voice..

Good movie, well recommended even if you are not a fan of RAP or dont know who BIG is. This film towers over the awful film 'Hustle and Flow', this is the real-deal, no fun and games just a hustler hustling, living the American Dream. Such a pity his dream was so short-lived. A must see, rental on DVD.