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Notorious
2009 122 min United States of America R 16+
★6.7
Music, Drama, History
Director: George Tillman Jr.
Trailers
Description
"Notorious" is the story of Christopher Wallace. Through raw talent and sheer determination, Wallace transforms himself from Brooklyn street hustler (once selling crack to pregnant women) to one of the greatest rappers of all time: The Notorious B.I.G. Follow his meteoric rise to fame and his refusal to succumb to expectations - redefining our notion of "The American Dream."
US Gross:
$36.84M
Worldwide:
$43.05M
Starring
Jamal Woolard
Actor
Anthony Mackie
Actor
Derek Luke
Actor
Awards
9 nominations total
Key opinion
Notorious is widely praised for its authentic recreation of 1990s hip-hop culture and the compelling, physically accurate performance by Jamal Woolard as Biggie Smalls. While the film is lauded by fans for its faithfulness to the rapper's life, critics point to a biased, overly sanitized screenplay and inconsistencies in the portrayals of secondary figures.
| Score | The film effectively captures the atmosphere of 1990s Brooklyn and the era's music through a high-quality, authentic soundtrack. | |
| Acting | Jamal Woolard delivers a standout, physically convincing performance that anchors the biographical narrative. | |
| Screenplay | The screenplay is highly divisive; supporters value its adherence to Biggie's real life, while detractors criticize it for being historically inaccurate, biased, and insensitive toward real-life figures like Lil' Kim. | |
| Acting | The portrayal of Tupac Shakur is polarizing, with some viewers finding Anthony Mackie's performance insightful while others find it unconvincing or miscast. | |
| Accessibility | The film's appeal is limited by its heavy focus on niche hip-hop culture, creating a barrier for general audiences who may find the narrative generic or inaccessible. |