Notorious

Many times films are made specifically to honor heroes of the past. These films, contemporarily called “biopics,” celebrate historic icons by telling their life story. Often the subject of the film is shown going through many trials and tribulations, only to be redeemed either in his (or her) death, or in the changes made in his or her life. Famous biopics of the last ten years include such award winners as “Ray,” “Walk the Line,” and “Ali.” These films are proof that, when executed properly, biopics can be powerful films. Unfortunately, when miscalculated, they can result in movies like “Notorious,” the biopic of Christopher “Biggie Smalls” Wallace. While it does have a few bright spots, “Notorious” is ultimately an extremely profane look at a rapper from the 90’s that left me asking why exactly this movie was even necessary.

The story of Wallace is a tragic one: A young, promising rapper from the Bronx, New York, whose life was cut terribly short when he was shot at the age of 24. Wallace grew up without a father, and, despite a loving Christian mother, he found himself on the street dealing drugs for money. After several encounters with the law, Wallace gets out of the dealing business and hooks up with Sean “Puffy” Combs, the now world renown hip hop mogul. Together, they make Wallace a household name, but they also feud with rappers from the west coast which ultimately leads to the death of Wallace.

The positives from the film are clearly the performances. The actors in the film elevate what is otherwise mediocre material to a level that’s respectable. Jamal Woolard as Wallace is so spot on I thought he must have been related to the actual Wallace. His mannerisms and actions are not so much mimicry as they are an embodiment of the former rapper.

Also of redemptive note are two characters in the film. First is Wallace’s mother played by Angela Bassett. She tries her best to keep Wallace straight, by quoting him Scripture and keeping him in school. She also throws Wallace out of the house when he refuses to stop dealing drugs, and shows tough love by not bailing him out of jail. While stern, her love for her son is unconditional. The other character of note is Sean “Puffy” Combs played by Derek Luke. While not perfect, Combs always stays clear of the drugs and other illegal activities that plague Wallace. He encourages Wallace to do the same. Several times, Combs tells Wallace, “before we change the world, we’ve gotta change ourselves.”

Unfortunately, the negative elements far outweigh what little redemption there is in the film. The sexual content and language in “Notorious” are explicit and obscene. Even for a film that is set on the streets of New York, the content is of a gratuitous nature. Even more disturbing than that is the overall character of the lead, Wallace. I found myself wondering why this film was even made. I would hardly consider Wallace a person worthy of an entire film of celebration. He’s a guy who never really learns from his mistakes. He continually cheats on his wives and/or girlfriends, neglects his children, and resorts to drugs to fix his problems.

In First John, the apostle warns us of falling victim to “the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.” Thism in modern terms, refers to the insatiable desire for sexual immorality, for money and other material things, as well as for power and fame. Chris “Biggie Smalls” Wallace fell prey to all three of these. If nothing else, “Notorious” is a strong lesson of the power of these lusts and how they can ruin someone’s life. And while the film tries to portray a turning point in his life, it’s never clear that Wallace freed himself from these lusts that had a hold on his life, and that’s never something that should make someone “Notorious.”

Violence: Moderate / Profanity: Extreme / Sex/Nudity: Extreme

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