The criticism of this film reminds me of that received for Jarhead. People said Jarhead was not a war movie, and the Get Rich or Die Trying had to little to do with rap. My question is, why doesn't this make it a bad film? And to make one last comparison, this film way out did anything 8 Mile attempted (much more of a social critique).

The strength in this film is derived from it's black and white presentation of the "dope game" and how for fifty it was either sleep in a cellar, or buy a Mercedes. Sheridan did a good depiction of how selling drugs is an easy escape, a way to make you feel like a man. The best and most powerful scene in this film is when someone slips a razor blade in his solitary cell in order for him to kill himself. He remarks, "I thought about it". I also enjoyed the non-romanticized violence, and how the drug game was not altogether glorified.

The downfall of this film is it's over dramatized scenes, and it may be a little to long, however, a good critique of Black Urban society, and well worth your 8 dollars.

IMDb reviewers are real sackless sheep. Everybody is bashing 50 Cent but very little of these rants posing as reviews actually speak about the actual movie. Let's get one thing straight. If you hate 50 so much that you cant even write a partial review on this movie don't review it. Im not fond of 50 as a rapper and as a person but that is a lousy reason to give this movie bad reviews.

Get Rich Or Die Trying is loosely based on the life of Curtis Jackson and based on that reason its pretty good. 50 plays himself and there are good performances from Terrance Howard as well as Joy Bryant who plays 50's girlfriend in the movie. Bill Duke is pretty good as the boss of the organization 50 links up with. The movie covers his childhood as well is how he became to be a rapper. One might question the authenticity of the story being told in this movie(this being the movie's real flaw) but as far as entertainment goes I enjoyed myself.

Its a shame when people allow the nut-swallowing groupies that run amok on IMDb dictate to you what is quality movies. These weirdos think that defending movies that were rightfully panned like Freddy Got Fingered, Nothing But Trouble, Batman and Robin, The Musketeer, The Black Dahlia makes them hip and cool and not pathetic posers in dire need of a life. And as far as acting goes last time I checked, Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Leonardo Dicaprio, Brad "Musty Arm" Pitt(overrated beyond belief),Chuck Norris are not real actors! To all of you reasonable people out there do not allow the circus freaks on IMDb to tell you what counts for quality cinema because you will be disappointed every time. There are a lot of great movies that never made the Top 250. Just goes to show you the bandwagon mentality of these pseudo intellectual rodents. And as far as the sheep go, I wouldn't waste time trying to reason with you. I'd rather beat you senseless when I see you in public you gutless cowards! Go fawn over the ever-so-overrated Quentin Tarantino like the spineless groupies you are.

PS: to the token that apologized online for 50 Cent instead of writing an actual review on the movie, grow some sack will ya? You and your fraudulent Caucasian friends deserve each other. Duplicitous vermin deserve each other. BRING ON THE UNHELPFUL VOTES!!!

Marcus lives with his loving but drug dealing mother. After she gets murdered in a drug deal, Marcus is brought into the life by drug-lord Levar (Bill Duke) and his associate Majestic (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje). He lives with his grandmother (Viola Davis) and grandfather (Sullivan Walker). As a teen, Marcus (50 Cent) gets arrested and quits school as he climbs the drug business. He writes his raps on the side and reunites with childhood love Charlene (Joy Bryant). He gets thrown in prison where Bama (Terrence Howard) saves him in a prison fight. Meanwhile Majestic sets up Levar in a cop killing and takes over the gang. Marcus gets out of prison and leaves the gang to pursue rapping with Bama as his manager. He refuses to sign with Majestic and gets shut out of the industry. Bama convinces him to rob a drug dealer.

50 is not a good actor. He's never going to get an acting award. He does have a natural understated charm which does come across on the screen. It's not the most original story but it's compelling enough. It has little insights like comparing drug dealing on the street corner to a minimum pay jobs. There is also an authenticity to the performance and getting the character shot 9 times is a little reminder. It doesn't have the intensity or the drama of 8 Mile but it's still a functional familiar story despite hitting some slow spots.