User reviews

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.

most of the people who gave this a bad review are probably the same people that gave eminem's film 8 mile a good review. both films depict the life's of the two rappers and in my opinion this film is better because 50 Cent has been through MUCH more in his life than Eminem has. the only difference is that 50 cent is black. People hatred for 50 cent and or maybe gangster rap probably have given them a tainted view on this film. it is not glorifying drug dealing etc like other films such as American gangster with denzil washington or film series such as breaking bad does, it is just merely telling a story of someones life. The fact that most of it is a true story should be enough to help people sit back and learn about the upbringing of one of the biggest stars this century. not a great film but no where near terrible.

I liked this movie because I thought 50 cent did a fairly good job acting being that it was his first movie, but he does need to improve his acting a bit more. I thought the story had holes in it because it did not show enough detail of how he developed as a rapper. He just went from drug dealer to rapper. There needed to be some progress between the two lifestyles because it is usually a struggle to become a good rapper. It would have been a better story if it showed how 50 really went from drug dealer to rapper. He met Jam master Jay of Run DMC who taught him how to rap. Anyway it is a good story because of the fact that it shows how it is in the inner city is educational to people who are blind to this kind of struggle and it shows him being able to get out the hood to pursue his dream. This will inspire young people in that position to do the same, maybe not with rap, but with their God-given talents.

50 Cent should fake his death after this 2 hour embarrassment.

It is 100% pile of steamy crap with corn and flies. The script was if it was written by someone in the third grade.

The acting was deafeningly stale. The scene with the knifefight in the steamy shower slipping on soap was worthy of being left on the cutting room floor.

It went on and on and on.

Boring and more boring and wait! Even more boring still.

I am embarrassed for rap music after seeing this.

I want my DMC and Public Enemy.

I have read through all of these comments, and am astounded at the amount of negativity towards it. I cannot believe that any film within the IMDb database can be voted as 1 out of 10, thats just stupid. Alrite, i agree its not an Oscar winning film, but I enjoyed it! OK, 50 cent's acting is brilliant, but he pulls it off! The film boasts a reasonable story based on his life, and to be honest it wasn't amazing, but it was generally enjoyable! Lost's Mr Eko played his character well, as did Terrence Howard! And Bill Duke, as the Ghetto Godfather is astoundingly brilliant! 8 Mile was a good film, and this is as good! So please, ignore the negative views and watch this film!!!!

This movie is horrendous. The terrific directing cannot separate the fact that this movie is perhaps one of the worst 'I sell records, why not make an album?' movies ever. He cannot act, sounds like he is reading his lines from a textbook, and his feelings range from dumb to ohmygod! The visual style of this movie acts, and the whole film seems like a horrible stereotype developed by racists (of all colors) who see inner city blacks as nothing but criminals. It is a shame that nice movies set to an African American theme flop, but movies that showcase the worst in society that affect kids do so well.

If you act like a criminal, you will be rich. Nice.

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.

Few redeeming qualities here.

This film is a cheap, brainless waste of time and money glorifying a character you care nothing about from scene 1. As a protagonitst, 50 is very dull and unremarkable. The story of his life was enough to put me to bed twice. It took me 3 tries to get through this movie, and I can't say I'm any better for having seen it. I still have no interest in his music, or anything he does.

Pop Icons shouldn't have movies made about them until, at least 10 years after their death. 10 years from now, who the hell is going to care about 50 Cent? For that matter, who the hell cares about him now?

This movie is unbelievably underrated. Yes, the acting isn't great at all times but it works. It has a great plot, a great script and most importantly GREAT MUSIC

If I could have given this a score lower than a 1 I would have but unfortunately, thats not possible. The only reason I went to see this was because it was a first date movie and being the gentleman I am I let my date pick what to see. A lot of people who know me would say I'm just being biased since I absolutely despise hip-hop, rap, or whatever its called but this movie (and I use that term lightly) was utter crap. Horrible plot, horrible acting, and a horrible cast. I actually feel like I have lost a few I.Q. points from watching this disaster of a film. Whoever wrote, directed, and casted this film must really feel embarrassed right now, hopefully as embarrassed as I felt for them while I was watching it. And if anyone cares my date (who likes 50 cent) hated it as much as me.

I don't see why everyone has such a problem with this movie - I thought it was okay, it wasn't the best movie I've ever seen, and it didn't have the best acting ever, but it certainly wasn't the worst movie ever.

The ending wasn't too good, but the movie wasn't too shabby, the storyline was good and it proved to keep me entertained for the full two hours. I learnt a lot about 50 cent during the movie, even though I'm not a fan of rap and/or 50 cent himself, I still enjoyed it.

The movie gives you inspiration, if 50 cent can go through a lot and come out of it a billion dollar rapper at the end, it makes you think that you could probably do something on the same level.

You don't have to like rap and/or 50 cent to enjoy this movie and read into it. If you enjoyed the trailer, don't let the bad reviews put you off, that's what I did, yet I liked the movie.

Well I am going to open a court case against 50 cent because I want my 2 hours back, that was quite possibly the worst film ever.

It was like a couple of school kid's got together and wrote a play about the "ghetto" It also shows young people (and old alike) that if you become a gangster you will have sexy women at your feat and too much money that you can't spend it fast enough.

If you are thinking of watching this film don't unless you are going to rate it 1 and spread the word of how bad it is, but don't pay to see it that is one mistake I will never make again with a 50 cent film (I am just praying they are not making a sequel)

Where do I start? OK here we go...last night 2 hours of my life were stolen. and who stole those hours is probably what you are wondering... Mr. Curtis Jackson and his fellow cast mates stole time out of my young life...you see I was deceived by the trailers...I believed that this would be a good movie...by no means did I think that the acting in Get Rich Or Die Trying would be so horrible...I thought that maybe 50 Cent would be the one to break the chain of great rappers turn awful actors (with the exception of Tupac of course). Obviously my faith was heavily misguided.

that said, the story line was not that bad...give the cast some acting lessons and try again...develop the the story a bit more and it would be worth my time.

but hey what am I complaining about, my viewing of this film was not paid out of my own pocket...and guess what...it was worth every penny!!!!!

Jim Sheridan, by all means a winning director, can take any project and turn it into a successful motion picture event. The project (a movie) in his hands will not only be successful; it will also be good, or better than good. I know this without having seen any of Sheridan's previous films; but the story says there are directors that turn everything they touch into gold…And I don't mean money.

To compare this Sheridan film with Curtis Hanson's "8 Mile" is unavoidable: both movies are about the lives of rappers; 50 Cent an Eminem are intimately connected because the latter one helped launching the career of the first one; and last, both movies are controlled by recognized and respectable directors. If that wasn't enough, this film and "8 Mile" are equally good.

In "8 Mile", Eminem called himself "the Rabbit", when everybody knew he was telling the story of his life. Here, Curtis Jackson (50 Cent) calls himself Marcus, and goes rapping by the name of "young Caesar", which is a nice detail to put slices of fiction in the picture. However, many people know that 50 Cent almost lost his life; and that he had it rough.

The film's screenplay, by Terrence Winter, includes every detail of the language of the neighborhood, the gangs, the attitudes and the business. You see, 50 Cent was black, and he wanted to be and became part of the big business; but Eminem: he was a white boy who had a lot of talent with rhymes…These are two different stories.

The way I see it, Sheridan did a fabulous work in getting the best out of Curtis Jackson's limited acting abilities. He doesn't achieve the high level that Eminem did in "8 Mile", but he doesn't stay behind either. Besides, his supporting cast (with the hand of the genius Avy Kaufman) accompanies him better than Kim Basinger, Brittany Murphy and Mekhi Phifer accompanied Eminem.

50 Cent got Joy Bryant, who's good but still doesn't do it for me; Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, who's great and should have been Emmy nominated for his portrayal of Mr. Eko in "Lost"; Terrence Howard, a touch of class and unlimited talent; the ever respectable Bill Duke and some other names that make the ride entertaining.

Because 50 Cent also got into my heart, with his sassy smile and his peculiar way of rapping; his jokes and his fights…The man had quite a life, and quite a way to put it into words. Jim Sheridan triumphs, 50 Cent triumphs, and the movie triumphs to; because of that simple smile it gets out of you when it's over.

It's not going to make you want to buy the rapper's albums as "Walk the Line" makes you want to buy Johnny Cash's entire career; but it will make you respect the artist's position, his talent and his success.

You know when you wish to descibe a film to a friend,who hasn't seen it yet,you usually start by outlining the plot,as you understand it,the perhaps commenting on the actors,and so on and so on. How on earth you do this with a film that is so toe-curlingly and stomach-churningly bad is another matter. The plot which is supposedly semi-autobiographical seems to be saying that murder and drug-dealing is an acceptable way to music stardom. That is bad enough,but when it is cliché- ridden, boring nastiness that is just too much. The star (Ha.Ha)50 Cents has the screen presence of a plastic toilet seat and mumbles his incomprehensible way through the film,which is so predictable from start to finish with all the familiar stereotypical South American drug barons,shootings and small-time hangers on we would expect.

Some of the supporting cast,who tried hard to make something out of the terrible script must have been dying with embarrassment to associated with such a load of nonsense and if they have any pride will deny any involvement on their C.V's. A film to be avoided at all cost

In 'Get Rich or Die Trying' Curtis '50 Cent' Jackson plays Marcus, a drug dealer from the street who wants to get out of the thug-life and be a rap star. This movie is supposed to be about 50 Cent and his true-life struggle to be a success.

This film was good in that it seemed to parallel the life of 50 Cent. From what I know, it is fairly accurate to a lot of what he went through. My problem is that this plot has been done and redone. A story about a poor ghetto kid trying to be heard, clean up his life and make it as a rapper. Have we not seen this before ('8 Mile', 'Hustle and Flow', etc.)? Do not get me wrong, this is a good movie in its own right. However, the plot is unoriginal and very predictable; even if it is true to life. I would only recommend this to big 50 Cent fans or someone who has not seen '8 Mile' or 'Hustle and Flow'.

I have nothing personal against 50 Cent, don't buy his records, kind of view him as a flash in the pan. But after being saturated with his face for the past 3 years I figured, why not see what all the hype is about...yeah his "music" is bubble-gum wannabe gangster rap that couldn't hold a candle to the originators of the genre...(i.e. N.W.A.,Schooly-D,etc.) The music will be forgotten in 5 years time...so maybe the movie will give him some validity, let's see if he can act. BAD MOVE, this guy makes DMX look like Sidney Poitier. The whole movie is the classic template, just plug in a one gear, multi-millionaire so-called rap artist. It just wasn't entertaining, I wasn't expecting the Godafther, but jeez...what a waste. So many other movies, steeped in hood reality have delivered far more...Menace 2 Society and Boyz N' The Hood all the way back to Cooley High. Hopefully the relatively dismal box office receipts will keep this guy out of the movies so he can concentrate on selling dull, bland pop music to the mouth breathing masses who hail him as the king of the streets.

The film is supposedly a biographical account of 50 cents own life. I am sure a lot of artistic liberties has been taken and then some more.

It is well directed, well acted, has lots of violence, swearing, rap music and there is some tenderness as well.

It's another story of someone who ends up on the wrong side of the tracks, gets in with some hoodlums, ends in jail and finds redemption through music.

If you do not like rap music it is not for you. 50 Cents does OK in the lead role but he surrounds himself with a good supporting cast and a sure- footed director.

I entered the movie expecting something along the lines of '8 Mile'. Turns out I was right. 'Get Rich' is a semi-autobiographical story of Young Ceasear (50 Cent) and how he found he transformed himself into a gangsta rapper as a way out of the life life as a drug pusher, a game that took his mothers life. 'Get Rich' features a familiar cast, a good story line that takes a little too long to develop, a surprisingly good performance by 50 Cent, and of course, a strong soundtrack throughout the movie. Additionaly, 'Get Rich' offers an interesting look into street life in NYC. If you like 50 Cent and liked '8 Mile', you will enjoy 'Get Rich'. Otherwise, enter at your own risk. I vote 7/10.