Get Rich Or Die Tryin'

When his street-smart coke-dealing mother is killed, young Marcus (Jackson) is sent to live with his poverty-stricken aunt and her family. Teased at school because his clothes are cheap, Marcus inherits his family traits and takes to the street hustling dime bags on corners to buy sneakers. He comes to the attention of gangster Majestic (Akinnuoye-Agbaje), who takes Marcus under his wing and teaches him the ways of the street. Marcus learns quickly and his extra cash allows him to pursue his dream of rapping. A raid on his crib puts him in jail for possession, where he meets an inmate (Howard) who believes in his talent and nurtures the would-be gangster. When the pair get out, Marcus decides to change his ways and concentrate on his music with rhymes that insult Majestic - which Majestic is hell bent on stopping.

Jim Sheridan returns after a long time in the wilderness with an ill-conceived choice of film. Although his direction and pacing is on the ball, he is let down in two major areas: the by-the-numbers script and the fact that his leading man can't act. Everyone knows that Get Rich Or Die Tryin' is based on Jackson's life but obvious comparisons to the superior Eminem vehicle Eight Mile and last year's Hustle And Flow (which starred Terrance Howard) will kill any enthusiasm at the box office. The acting kills audience enthusiasm too, as many times during the film Jackson is asked to step to the (metaphorical) mic and is found stuttering. He is blown out of the water by the dependable Akinnuoye-Agbaje and the criminally underused Howard - who once again proves he is an actor with major screen presence. You've seen this film made before and made better.