Biggie biopic Notorious opens tonight
Friday, January 16th, 2009
SIZE MATTERS: Kevin Phillips (left) and Jamal Woolard as Biggie Smalls
HOLLYWOOD PRODUCT: Notorious
GENRE: Rags-to-riches rap biopic
THE PITCH: Christopher Wallace, a.k.a. Biggie Smalls, a.k.a. the Notorious B.I.G. (played by newcomer Jamal “Gravy” Woolard, who only has two names) rises from the violence of Brooklyn drug dealing to the violence of the 1990s hip-hop scene.
MONEY SHOTS: Young Biggie triumphs in a street corner rap battle. A fight breaks out — or does it? — during one of Biggie’s first concerts. At his wedding to singer Faith Evans (Antonique Smith), Biggie shoots the preacher an amusing look during the part about “forsaking all others.” Faith gives a beat-down to a hotel room ho when Biggie fails to forsake all others. Biggie’s ex, Lil’ Kim (Naturi Naughton), raps in full woman-scorned mode before an audience.
BEST LINE: “What kind of man, a grown-ass man, calls himself ‘Puffy?’” wonders Biggie’s perpetually worried mother (Angela Bassett) about her son’s Svengali. Read the rest here.
