Opening

72% Fast & Furious 6 May 24
21% The Hangover Part III May 23
63% Epic May 24
97% Before Midnight May 24
88% We Steal Secrets: The Story Of Wikileaks May 24
83% Fill the Void May 24
17% A Green Story May 24
—— Alyce Kills May 24

Top Box Office

87% Star Trek Into Darkness $70.2M
78% Iron Man 3 $35.8M
50% The Great Gatsby $23.9M
46% Pain & Gain $3.2M
69% The Croods $3.0M
77% 42 $2.8M
55% Oblivion $2.3M
99% Mud $2.2M
36% Peeples $2.2M
8% The Big Wedding $1.2M

Coming Soon

—— After Earth May 31
—— Now You See Me May 31
100% The Kings of Summer May 31
90% The East May 31

Notorious (2009)

tomatometer

51

Average Rating: 5.6/10
Reviews Counted: 139
Fresh: 71 | Rotten: 68

A biopic that lacks the luster of its subject, Notorious is generic rise-and-fall fare that still functions as a primer for those less familiar with the work and life of the hip hop icon.

57

Average Rating: 6.1/10
Critic Reviews: 40
Fresh: 23 | Rotten: 17

A biopic that lacks the luster of its subject, Notorious is generic rise-and-fall fare that still functions as a primer for those less familiar with the work and life of the hip hop icon.

audience

65

liked it
Average Rating: 3.6/5
User Ratings: 95,831

My Rating

Movie Info

Fox Searchlight presents the tragic life story of rap star Notorious B.I.G. from director George Tillman Jr. (Soul Food) and executive producer Sean "Diddy" Combs. The script is provided by Cheo Hodari Coker and Biker Boyz writer/director Reggie Rock Blythewood. Jamal Woolard portrays the slain rapper, with Angela Bassett, Derek Luke, and Anthony Mackie filling out the supporting cast. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi

Apr 21, 2009

$36.7M

Fox Searchlight Pictures - Official Site External Icon

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All Critics (141) | Top Critics (40) | Fresh (75) | Rotten (70) | DVD (17)

As mainstream hip hop becomes ever more predictable, so do the biopics about its stars.

February 12, 2009 Full Review Source: Time Out
Time Out
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Even if we miss the thinking that went into the creation of Wallace's B.I.G.-ger-than-life alter ego, the movie's performances are exultant.

January 20, 2009 Full Review Source: New York Magazine
New York Magazine
Top Critic IconTop Critic

The movie leaves us with the sense that, twelve years after Biggie Smalls's death, a lot of people are trying to extract whatever profit or pride they can from the chaotic life of a young man who was, as he well knew, a work in progress.

January 20, 2009 Full Review Source: New Yorker | Comment (1)
New Yorker
Top Critic IconTop Critic

If Milk set the standard for biopics in 2008, then 2009 is off to a strong start with Notorious.

January 20, 2009 Full Review Source: At the Movies
At the Movies
Top Critic IconTop Critic

For a hardcore fan of his music and his life, it rings true.

January 20, 2009 Full Review Source: At the Movies
At the Movies
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Notorious is like a piece of well-crafted bling. It looks good, and facets of it shine, but behind the gilded facade there's not much there.

January 16, 2009 Full Review Source: USA Today
USA Today
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Absent the actual music, Notorious would be a lot worse.

October 22, 2009 Full Review Source: Film Threat
Film Threat

Though it never quite devolves into pure hagiography, the film's central tale of crack dealer made good is sometimes a little too hokey for its own good.

August 30, 2009 Full Review Source: Washington Times
Washington Times

Notorious is a tribute the rapper's contribution to pop culture.

July 7, 2009 Full Review Source: BET.com
BET.com

Here is one of those discs that takes full advantage of the BluRay medium.

April 28, 2009 Full Review Source: 7M Pictures
7M Pictures

You've heard of laundering money? Well, this film biography of rapper Notorious B.I.G. has all the earmarks of--not monetary but morality cleansing.

April 21, 2009 Full Review Source: Cinema Signals | Comment (1)
Cinema Signals

The gluttonous Biggie in all his materialist glory!

April 16, 2009 Full Review Source: NewsBlaze
NewsBlaze

While it's now less a case of race than class in black film, Notorious seems to still be taking tabloid cues more from alien ghetto underclass drama and what's come before, rather than bringing new and improved insight to the table beyond the cool music.

April 11, 2009 Full Review Source: NewsBlaze
NewsBlaze

While it's now less a case of race than class in black film, Notorious seems to still be taking tabloid cues more from alien ghetto underclass drama and what's come before, rather than bringing new and improved insight to the table beyond the cool music.

April 11, 2009 Full Review Source: NewsBlaze | Comment (1)
NewsBlaze

[An] intermittently entertaining but thoroughly conventional Biggie biopic.

March 13, 2009 Full Review Source: Critic's Notebook
Critic's Notebook

What might have been an African-American gangland epic with a killer soundtrack treads safely as a run-of-the-mill biopic.

March 13, 2009 Full Review Source: MovieTime, ABC Radio National
MovieTime, ABC Radio National

Notorious is a pretty standard biopic, and is probably largely compromised. If you've never seen Nick Broomfield's excellent 2002 doco Biggie And Tupac, you'd be better served hunting that down instead.

March 13, 2009 Full Review Source: FILMINK (Australia)
FILMINK (Australia)

While the script provides ample illustrations of Wallace's tough life, there is not enough focus on what set the recording star apart from his peers or why he became so incredibly popular so quickly.

March 13, 2009 Full Review Source: Daily Telegraph (Australia)
Daily Telegraph (Australia)

There is little here to attract anyone but the core fan-base.

March 6, 2009 Full Review Source: Urban Cinefile
Urban Cinefile

Audience Reviews for Notorious

Biopics are difficult to make and typically flawed, rushing through stages of the person's life and focusing on pointless incidents at times. Notorious falls victim to this but for the most part it was pretty good. The casting in terms of resemblance to the portrayed characters is solid, except for 2pac. The quality of the acting at times is inconsistent but mostly above average. The good's and bad's of rap biopics are fun to watch.
February 5, 2010
Chiefilms
Lenny Muggsy

Super Reviewer

Along the lines of 8 mile. this movie tells a story while it connects you with the main character. Even tho you know whats going to happen to him in the begining I still was interested in his like and what would happen to him...The music what very good, altho im not reall a fan of hardcore rap. I can see the appeal of it. I just have to be in the right mood to see it. This movie has some very strong performances as well.
August 11, 2009
MissMorganLeee
Morgan Salem

Super Reviewer

    1. Sean "Diddy" Combs: Can't change the world unless we change ourselves.
    – Submitted by Johnny W (6 months ago)

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Latest News on Notorious

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Foreign Titles

  • Notorious B.I.G. (FR)
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