Curtis Jackson has the same problem other black actors have had, they care about cool more than they care about art. Jamie fought it and still struggles with it. Ice Cube does the same thing, but at least he has been typecast as pretty much who he really is, a fat kid with an attitude. You look at Forest Whittaker, he's such a master, he's flawless and he fills the role to the brim, the move could be about him. Robert DeNiro is what he is, he pretty much mails it in here but even that's over the top compared to most actors. This movie is Training Day with training wheels. Why put Jackson in this movie? It's completely "screw all the white chicks and do everything I do in real life anyhow, with the black mascara and eyeliner I have tattooed on my face. and my overnight pimp beard, since I paid for this movie myself" fan gets to party with the team type of performance. He cannot believe he's even in the movie, and other than the forced tear at one point, he's basically emotionless.
You cannot be cool and be good at the same time in film. You have to have a character flaw for the audience to see you, but Curtis is all about pop cred and he cannot separate himself from that and this.
reply
share