8 Mile is a 2002 Academy Award-winning film starring Marshall “Eminem”
Mathers as the young white rapper Jimmy Smith Jr. It is set in Detroit, Michigan
during 1995. Eight Mile Road is a road which forms the boundary between
predominantly African American Detroit, Michigan and the city’s mostly white
northern suburbs. The term “8 Mile” therefore represents a barrier that is
difficult to cross.The film begins with Eminem’s character Jimmy “B. Rabbit”
Smith Jr. at a local rap battle emceed by Smith’s friend David “Future” Porter (Mekhi
Phifer). A nervous Rabbit chokes at the mic and exits the competition.

After the initial scene at the music event, the movie focuses on Jimmy, a
young sheet metal factory worker who is struggling with different aspects of his
life. He has moved back north of 8 Mile Road to the rundown trailer home of his
alcoholic mother Stephanie (Kim Basinger), his much-younger sister Lilly (Chloe
Greenfield), and his mother’s abusive live-in boyfriend Greg (Michael Shannon).
Jimmy is focused on getting his music career started, but he seems unable to
catch a break. Just prior to the events of the film, he ends a relationship with
his girlfriend Janeane (Taryn Manning), and during the film, begins a new
relationship with Alex (Brittany Murphy).

As the film progresses, Jimmy comes to realize that his life has remained
largely the same since high school. At first, he considers himself a victim of
his circumstances and blames others for his problems. Over time, though, Jimmy
begins to take responsibility for the direction of his life and realizes that he
has a large degree of control over how it will go. He begins to question whether
his group of friends, including Future, are holding themselves back from moving
on to bigger things. “All we ever do is talk shit,” he tells them, as they
bicker about the best way to become successful in the music business. With his
onstage choke still fresh in his mind, he appears to decide that he will give up
on or postpone his dream of a music career in favor of devoting more time to his
day job and building a home life. Jimmy’s newfound responsibility becomes
evident to his supervisor at the factory as well. At the beginning of the film,
when Jimmy requests extra shifts, his supervisor laughs at him, but by the end,
Jimmy’s improved attitude and performance earn him the extra work he had wanted.
However, a late night shift conflicts with the next battle tournament. Jimmy
initially doesn’t want to go, but a visit from Alex changes his mind. Paul (Craig
Chandler), a gay co-worker whom Jimmy stood up for when he was being harassed
for his sexual orientation, agrees to cover for him, further indicating how
Jimmy has earned greater respect