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"GET RICH OR DIE TRYIN'" (2005) (Curtis Jackson, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje) (R) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons Heavy Extreme Extreme *Moderate Extreme Imitative Behavior Jump Scenes Music (Scary/Tense) Music (Inappropriate) Profanity Heavy None Heavy Extreme Extreme Sex/ Nudity Smoking Tense Family Scenes Topics To Talk About Violence Extreme Mild Heavy Heavy Extreme QUICK TAKE: Drama: A drug-dealing street thug tries to break free from that business to try his hand at being a gangster rapper. PLOT: In a rough, 1970s era Bronx neighborhood, Marcus (MARC JOHN JEFFERIES) is a young kid who doesn't know who fathered him with his drug-dealer mom Katrina (SERENA REEDER). When she's murdered, he ends up living with his grandparents (VIOLA DAVIS and SULLIVAN WALKER) and their large, extended family where there's little room for the orphan. With only hand-me downs to wear, Marcus takes to the only world he knows, dealing drugs. Years later, Marcus (CURTIS "50 CENT" JACKSON) is still in the business, running with his crew that consists of Keryl (OMAR BENSON MILLER), Justice (TORY KITTLES) and Antwan (ASHLEY WALTERS), and dealing drugs for Majestic (ADEWALE AKINNUOYE-AGBAJE) who's just introduced them to the lucrative crystal meth market. The highly competitive drug-dealing business, however, has run them afoul of a network of Columbian drug dealers, such as Raoul (WALTER ALZA), who aren't happy to have any competition. Accordingly, Majestic's boss, the godfather-type Levar (BILL DUKE), tries to establish a truce between the two warring factions. Yet, there's too much bad blood between them, and with Levar headed off for prison, Majestic takes over and only ratchets up the feud and related killings. Having recently hooked back up with his childhood friend Charlene (JOY BRYANT), Marcus ends up in prison for his drug dealings. There, he meets another inmate, Bama (TERRENCE HOWARD), who not only saves his life, but also wants to become his manager and nurture the young man's natural talent for rap music. When he gets out, Marcus wants to go straight and pursue his budding musical career, but he must then contend with Majestic who wants his number one dealer back on the streets and isn't pleased with the decision his former protégé has made. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? If they're fans of 50 Cent they most definitely will. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R For strong violence, pervasive language, drug content, sexuality and nudity. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: Considering the actions of the main characters (drug dealing, murder, other criminal activity, nonstop profanity, etc.), it's doubtful many if any parents would consider them to be good role models. CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit? Then read OUR TAKE of this film. (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below). OUR WORD TO PARENTS: The following is a brief summary of the content found in this R-rated drama. Profanity consists of a bare minimum of 170 "f" words (many in rap songs), while many other expletives and colorful phrases are also heard. Sexually related dialogue and song lyrics (some of that being explicit) is present, as are some sexual encounters (including nudity and movement, with a single woman ending up pregnant) and other sexual material. Male full frontal and rear nudity is present in a prison shower scene and a man wakes up with two bare-breasted (and otherwise scantly clad) women. Violence consists of various people being murdered by various means (mostly gunfire, but also suffocation, being impaled by a sword, and implied rape and subsequent burning). Other fighting is present (with fists, shivs, etc.) and a man nearly dies from being shot many times. Some of that violence has very bloody/gory results and some of that and other moments of potential peril may be unsettling or suspenseful to younger viewers or those with low tolerance levels for such lethal mayhem (others might not be affected as much, or at all). The vast majority of main and minor characters have bad attitudes of one form or another, while kids may be enticed to imitate behavior or lifestyles on display in the film. Various characters smoke and/or drink, some do drugs and others deal drugs (that's a major occupation of many characters). A boy sees his murdered mother being buried and has no idea who his father is (thus leaving him orphaned) while an unmarried couple with a child nearly split up. Should you still be concerned about the film's appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home, you may want to look more closely at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content. For those prone to visually induced motion sickness, there's bouncy, handheld camerawork in various scenes. ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE Various songs have drug-related lyrics. We see that Katrina is a drug dealer and then see other such dealing, including a rival dealer who Katrina isn't happy to see. We see young Marcus dealing drugs on the street (he claims they're dime bags). Young Marcus says that he deals drugs for the money (and a brand new pair of sneakers). A guy smokes pot. Marcus is busted at school for trying to sneak in drugs. Marcus says that after three hours of trying to be a rapper, he went back to selling coke. Majestic shows his young dealers how to make crystal meth and then lays down the ground rules, including not using it. Majestic, making a metaphor about dealing but not using drugs, says "You f*ck a bitch, don't let a bitch f*ck you." He then adds (about crystal meth), "Don't even take the panties off this bitch." People drink at an establishment where one person is smoking crack, but is told to stop (saying it can't occur there). Majestic pours some liquor for himself, Marcus and another dealer (with the latter commenting on it only being in the morning, but he's the one who then has some). Majestic and others drink. Justice retrieves a beer from the fridge. People have champagne and other drinks. BLOOD/GORE Marcus is very bloody after a masked man shoots him many times (including through his hand). A Columbian crew member enters a nightclub and opens fire in Marcus' direction, but hits Antwan instead, severely wounding him (we see blood on him and the floor next to him). Charlene points out that Marcus has a little bit of blood on his shoe from his night of revenge (we see a few little bits there). Marcus and Bama are bloody (faces and backs) following a prison fight with punches and shivs. We see that Majestic has a man strung up by the arms, with blood flowing down from his mouth. Majestic then has one of his men take pliers and pull out more of that man's remaining teeth. We see the motion, but not the act, although we hear the crunching sound and yelling, etc. We see blood as a man is shot in the chest (through his shirt) several times. Marcus is very bloody (especially his face where he's just been shot) after an assassination attempt on him. We later see him lying shirtless in surgery and see blood and the bloody wounds in his torso. Marcus has a bloody nose and Majestic has a bloody hand after a fight. We see a dead and bloody man with bullet hole wounds in his head. DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE All of the criminals, drug dealers and more have bad attitudes, including the Columbians vs. Levar and then Majestic's crew (who use some disparaging racial terms toward each other). We see Katrina trying to pay various relatives to watch young Marcus so that she can go off and sell drugs. We see Katrina lying unconscious or dead on the floor (possibly having been raped or otherwise sexually assaulted as it appears her panties or something else are around her ankles) as a man pours something flammable on her. He then lights some paper and drops it on her (we don't see her burning, but do see the house burning). Young Marcus' young relatives steal the food from his plate after he's forced to live with them. Young Marcus buys a handgun from a covert dealer in an alley. After his grandfather is mad at him for his behavior (dealing drugs, having a gun in the house, etc.), Marcus has a bad attitude back at him, calling him a "second-class nigger." When Marcus tells Levar that the latter is like a god to him, Levar says that he is God, Allah and Buddha all rolled up into one. One of Majestic's assistants is jealous of Marcus. A guy walks up and shoots into a parked cop car, presumably killing the person inside, but we don't see any impact. Marcus says he just wants to kill somebody. When Bama asks who, Marcus says anybody. Marcus turns on Majestic via his rap songs, prompting Majestic to want revenge on him. That includes visiting Charlene in the hospital and picking up her baby, telling her that life is precious and to remind Marcus of that. Marcus briefly develops a bad attitude toward Charlene (the mother of his child) while down and out after being shot (but they later make up). FRIGHTENING SCENES Scenes listed under "Violence," "Blood/Gore" and "Jump Scenes" may be unsettling, suspenseful or scary to younger viewers and/or those with low tolerance levels for such material. We see Marcus and his crew prepping their guns as they drive to a place with a young hostage. They then burst in, hold their guns on various people inside and rough up some of them while robbing the place. One ends up shooting a guard (injuring him) and then holds a gun to the hostage's head (a teenage boy). Marcus then confronts him and fires his gun, apparently shooting the one from his accomplice's hand (we don't see the impact). The boy's mother then storms out of the back with a shotgun that she uses to fire at the thugs who fire back. She then follows them out as they hold her son hostage, but let him go. She then fires more shots at them as they speed away (she hits their SUV, blowing out the window). A masked man sneaks up on Marcus at his car at night and repeatedly shoots him at close range. Marcus tries to get away, but is shot again more times, including while lying beside the car (with the shooter firing beneath the car and hitting him and one tire) and through his hand that he holds up. He then walks up to Marcus, holds his gun to his head and fires, but our scene then quickly cuts to a flashback of Marcus' childhood. We see Katrina lying unconscious or dead on the floor (possibly having been raped or otherwise sexually assaulted as it appears her panties or something else are around her ankles) as a man pours something flammable on her. He then lights some paper and drops it on her (we don't see her burning, but do see the house burning). We see a quick montage where three Columbian men are mowed down by machine gun fire in a drive-by shooting, followed by men shooting down onto a car from above it, putting holes in the roof, etc. We then see a store clerk shoot a young thug dead in his store and then follow a second one out onto the street where he shoots and kills him. A Columbian crew member enters a nightclub and opens fire in Marcus' direction, but hits Antwan instead, severely wounding him (we see blood on him and the floor next to him and later hear he's paralyzed from the wound). Marcus and the rest of his crew set out to avenge Antwan being shot and paralyzed. When the others are hesitant, Marcus takes the gun, walks up to their rivals on a street corner and opens fire, hitting at least one several times before retreating. The other rivals then fire back at him, hitting their car as they speed away. Various men attack Marcus in prison, with Bama coming to his rescue. Various punches are thrown and shivs stabbed and sliced at various people. The guards finally show up and beat one guy with their nightsticks, while Marcus pummels another, but he and Bama are then subdued and cuffed. We see that Majestic has a man strung up by the arms, with blood flowing down from his mouth. Majestic then has one of his men take pliers and pull out more of that man's remaining teeth. We see the motion, but not the act, although we hear the crunching sound and yelling, etc. We then see a plastic bag over that strung-up man's head, causing him to suffocate. As a rapper records tracks, some Columbians storm the recording booth and shoot everyone there (trying to find out where a rival is). We mostly hear the shots, but do see one man getting shot in the chest several times. Marcus turns on Majestic via his rap songs, prompting Majestic to want revenge on him. That includes visiting Charlene in the hospital and picking up her baby, telling her that life is precious and to remind Marcus of that. Some men prepare to assassinate Bama, but when a lookout sees that Bama is armed, that man calls off the hit. We return to the scene where the masked man sneaks up on Marcus and shoots him several times. We then see him holding his gun to Marcus' head, but his aim is off when Marcus' grandmother yells out. That causes him to shoot through the side of Marcus' face, severely injuring but not killing him. Marcus nearly dies in the back of a truck as paramedics try to save his life (they eventually resuscitate him) after he's been shot many times. Majestic pulls a sword from his cane and repeatedly and graphically stabs his own man with it, killing him. GUNS/WEAPONS Handguns/Machine guns/Shivs/Sword: Used to threaten, wound or kill others. See "Violence" for details. Various songs have gun-related and violent lyrics. Young Marcus buys a handgun from a covert dealer in an alley. IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: "Stop f*cking moving," "I kill m*therf*ckers...that's what I do," "I f*cking love you," "F*cking crazy," "Get the f*ck out of here," "Rick James m*therf*cker," "That's f*cking whack," "I'm in f*cking hell," "You f*ck a bitch, you don't let a bitch f*ck you," "What the f*ck /you trying to say/is that?," "I told you a million f*cking times," "F*cking spic," "F*cked up," "In the first f*cking place," "Shut the f*ck up," "Sit the f*ck still," "I f*cking told you that," "F*ck it," "You're a stubborn m*therf*cker," "Bullsh*t," "That sh*t ain't right," "Don't even take the panties off this bitch" (a metaphor for taking drugs), "Getting paid and getting laid," "Nigger" (said many times), "Bitch" (said many times), "Bitch ass," "Sure as hell," "Homey," "Shut up," "Calm your ass down," "Ain't this a bitch?" "Stuck-up bitch," "Damn right," "When I'm right, I'm right. And when I'm wrong, I could have been right," "Slave ass" and "Punk ass." It's possible kids could be enticed to take up dealing drugs, trying to be a gangster rapper or just a street thug after watching 50 Cent do the same in the film. We see lots of graffiti on various walls and other surfaces throughout the film. Forced to live with all of his relatives and sleep in the same bed as other boys, young Marcus is pushed from the bed by one. To retaliate, he throws a pan of water on that kid. Young Marcus buys a handgun from a covert dealer in an alley. Marcus has various tattoos on his body, while other characters also have varying styles and amounts of tattoos on their skin. We see a guy with various gold-capped teeth, while various characters wear various styles of gold chains and other gangster type attire and accouterments. While posing with a rapper, Marcus gives "the finger" for the photo. While in prison, Marcus is given a razorblade under his cell door (to commit suicide, and he says he thought about it). Marcus says he just wants to kill somebody. When Bama asks who, Marcus says anybody. JUMP SCENES None. MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) A heavy amount of suspenseful and ominous music plays in the film. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) Many of the songs have extreme profanity (many uses of the "f" word and others, as well as many uses of words such as "nigger"), while some have sexually explicit lyrics, as well as violent and drug-related ones. PROFANITY Considering that many of the songs in the background have extreme profanity, that rounds of profanity erupt rapid-fire, and that much of that occurs when material from other categories was being noted, the following should be considered a bare minimum: At least 170 "f" words (27 used with "mother" -- some written -- and 3 used sexually as are terms "laid" and "do it"), 66 "s" words, 2 slang terms for female genitals ("p*ssy"), 19 asses, 5 damns, 4 hells and 1 use of "G-damn." SEX/NUDITY Various songs have sexually related lyrics. We briefly see some miscellaneous cleavage. Marcus states in voice-over narration that many people loved his mother and thus any of them could have been his dad. Katrina shows some cleavage. Young Charlene is caught listening to a rap song with sexually related lyrics, including talking of feeling, humping, doing it like dogs, pulling hair and more. Her stepdad then makes her move to the suburbs in response to that. A poster on the wall shows a woman's bare butt cheeks. Majestic, making a metaphor about dealing but not using drugs, says "You f*ck a bitch, don't let a bitch f*ck you." He then adds (about crystal meth), "Don't even take the panties off this bitch." Marcus states in voice-over narration that their goal was "getting paid and getting laid." We then see footage from some establishment where all sorts of sexualized dancing occurs (a woman bending over so that her clothed butt gyrates against a man's clothed crotch) and lots of cleavage is present. One of the guys wakes up with two bare-breasted women, one of which appears to be wearing a g-string (partially seen). We see a guy showering (and see his bare butt) while another is in just a towel. We see a flashback to Katrina in a swimsuit that shows some cleavage. The guys talk of the "p*ssy" they'll get in Marcus' new, expensive car. Charlene comes on to Marcus back at his place, singing lyrics from the above sexual rap song that earlier got her into trouble as a child. There are lines about feeling, doing it like dogs do, pulling hair, etc. She then asks if he knew what that meant back then. He says he didn't, but she says her stepdad did (and thus made her move). The two then passionately kiss while standing and he gets between her legs as she's seated on something before carrying her out of the camera shot. Sex is implied and she later informs him that she's pregnant (with him asking if she's going to keep it and she says she is). We see male full frontal and rear nudity in a prison shower, both before and during a fight that breaks out among various men. Later, we see Marcus and Bama lying face down on the floor, fully nude, with their hands cuff behind them near their bare butts. We see a shirtless, muscular male prisoner. After removing the wires holding his jaws shut (following a shooting), Marcus has Charlene put her finger into his mouth to check something, but he then suggestively sucks on her finger. That prompts her to say she just wants to feel his body and we then see quick/partial shots of her bare breasts and butt (with his face near or up against that, prompting a reaction from our screening audience). We then see him on top of her (mostly a torso shot, showing bare breasts and movement, but not including any sounds as music plays over the scene). Majestic tells Marcus that before Marcus' mother died he "f*cked her." Marcus removes his shirt while performing on stage. SMOKING Bama and Justice each smoke at least once, while some miscellaneous characters smoke in several scenes. A prisoner has a cigarette over his ear. TENSE FAMILY SCENES Marcus states in voice-over narration that he was always searching for his father. We see Katrina trying to pay various relatives to watch young Marcus so that she can go off and sell drugs. Katrina pushes a rival dealer who then gets rough with her until separated (and we saw young Marcus getting ready to defend her with something he's carrying, but he doesn't have to). Young Marcus learns that his mother has been killed. We then see him at the funeral as the casket is lowered into the ground and he scans the crowd, wondering if his father might be there and if he and the killer might be the same person. We hear that Charlene's real father has apparently died recently (someone tells her they're sorry about him). Marcus' grandparents find and worry about him after he's been repeatedly shot. Although Marcus and Charlene are not married, they have a child together and then having a falling out, with her being upset at him. She then moves out, but they're together again later and seem to have made up. Marcus' grandmother worries that he's going to die while performing back in his old neighborhood (and he dons a bulletproof vest beforehand). TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT Rappers and kids who want to become them. Drug dealers and dealing. Marcus states in voice-over narration that he was always searching for his father. He's then orphaned when his mother is murdered. Young Marcus says that he deals drugs for the money (and a brand new pair of sneakers). While in prison, Marcus is given a razorblade under his cell door (to commit suicide, and he says he thought about it). Marcus says he just wants to kill somebody. When Bama asks who, Marcus says anybody. Marcus says he's going to kill Majestic, but then says he's going to do so via humbling him. Having a child out of wedlock. When Marcus complains that his voice is different following his shooting, Charlene says that's good as there's now more pain in it. Marcus' comment that he'd rather die like a man than live like a coward. Charlene says that most men hide their emotions, but that Marcus buries his. VIOLENCE Various songs have gun-related and violent lyrics. We see Marcus and his crew prepping their guns as they drive to a place with a young hostage. They then burst in, hold their guns on various people inside and rough up some of them while robbing the place. One ends up shooting a guard (injuring him) and then holds a gun to the hostage's head (a teenage boy). Marcus then confronts him and fires his gun, apparently shooting the one from his accomplice's hand (we don't see the impact). The boy's mother then storms out of the back with a shotgun that she uses to fire at the thugs who fire back. She then follows them out as they hold her son hostage, but let him go. She then fires more shots at them as they speed away (she hits their SUV, blowing out the window). They later torch that SUV. A masked man sneaks up on Marcus at his car at night and repeatedly shoots him at close range. Marcus tries to get away, but is shot again more times, including while lying beside the car (with the shooter firing beneath the car and hitting him and one tire) and through his hand that he holds up. He then walks up to Marcus, holds his gun to his head and fires, but our scene then quickly cuts to a flashback of Marcus' childhood. Katrina pushes a rival dealer who then gets rough with her until separated (and we saw young Marcus getting ready to defend her with something he's carrying, but he doesn't have to). We see Katrina lying unconscious or dead on the floor (possibly having been raped or otherwise sexually assaulted as it appears her panties or something else are around her ankles) as a man pours something flammable on her. He then lights some paper and drops it on her (we don't see her burning, but do see the house burning). Forced to live with all of his relatives and sleep in the same bed as other boys, young Marcus is pushed from the bed by one. To retaliate, he throws a pan of water on that kid who then tackles Marcus to the floor where they struggle until they're separated. An older kid/fellow drug dealer pushes young Marcus and then he and his cronies repeatedly punch and kick Marcus until an adult intervenes. Two men rough up a third, prompting Marcus to intervene. He punches one and then holds his gun to the other, causing him to back off. Some people scuffle after one is told to stop smoking crack. We see a quick montage where three Columbian men are mowed down by machine gun fire in a drive-by shooting, followed by men shooting down onto a car from above it, putting holes in the roof, etc. We then see a store clerk shoot a young thug dead in his store and then follow a second one out onto the street where he shoots and kills him. A Columbian crew member enters a nightclub and opens fire in Marcus' direction, but hits Antwan instead, severely wounding him (we see blood on him and the floor next to him and later hear he's paralyzed from the wound). Marcus and the rest of his crew set out to avenge Antwan being shot and paralyzed. When the others are hesitant, Marcus takes the gun, walks up to their rivals on a street corner and opens fire, hitting at least one several times before retreating. The other rivals then fire back at him, hitting their car as they speed away. Various men attack Marcus in prison, with Bama coming to his rescue. Various punches are thrown and shivs stabbed and sliced at various people. The guards finally show up and beat one guy with their nightsticks, while Marcus pummels another, but he and Bama are then subdued and cuffed. A guy walks up and shoots into a parked cop car, presumably killing the person inside, but we don't see any impact. We see that Majestic has a man strung up by the arms, with blood flowing down from his mouth. Majestic then has one of his men take pliers and pull out more of that man's remaining teeth. We see the motion, but not the act, although we hear the crunching sound and yelling, etc. We then see a plastic bag over that strung-up man's head, causing him to suffocate. We see a body lying next to a car, and another that's wrapped in plastic and is being thrown into a garbage truck (the results of Majestic's violent reign). As a rapper records tracks, some Columbians storm the recording booth and shoot everyone there (trying to find out where a rival is). We mostly hear the shots, but do see one man getting shot in the chest several times. We return to the scene where the masked man sneaks up on Marcus and shoots him several times. We then see him holding his gun to Marcus' head, but his aim is off when Marcus' grandmother yells out. That causes him to shoot through the side of Marcus' face, severely injuring but not killing him. Majestic pulls a sword from his cane and repeatedly and graphically stabs his own man with it, killing him. Marcus smashes his vials of pain killers in anger. Majestic tells Marcus that before Marcus' mother died he "f*cked her." Marcus then attacks and drives Majestic to the floor where he starts to strangle him. Majestic then pushes his fingers into Marcus' eyes and then head-butts him away. A man charges another with a sword, prompting Bama to shoot and wound that man. Moments later, we hear the shots that kill that injured man. Reviewed November 7, 2005 / Posted November 9, 2005

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