The winning conceit of producer/director Lauren Lazin's flamboyant documentary about the life of Tupac Shakur is that the late rapper's voice is the primary source the audience hears.
Tupac: Resurrection (2003)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:84
Fresh:65
Rotten:19
Average Rating:6.7/10
Consensus: There's no question where the director's loyalty lies in this one-sided tribute; however, Tupac's charisma makes this doc an engaging sit.
Rated: R [See Full Rating] for strong language and images of drugs, violence and sex
Runtime: 1 hr 50 mins
Genre: Musical & Performing Arts
Theatrical Release:Nov 14, 2003 Wide
Box Office: $7,646,264
Synopsis: "This is my story, a story about ambition, violence, redemption and love." --Tupac Shakur Celebrating the life of Tupac Shakur, one of the top-selling hip-hop artists of all time, "Tupac:... "This is my story, a story about ambition, violence, redemption and love." --Tupac Shakur Celebrating the life of Tupac Shakur, one of the top-selling hip-hop artists of all time, "Tupac: Resurrection" explores Shakur’s life viscerally and dramatically through his own words and music, as well as through vivid images of the world as he experienced it. The film carefully mines video archives to expose the brilliant storyteller that Shakur was during interviews and in personal conversations throughout his life. In his own words, Shakur powerfully takes viewers with him throughout the happiness and the sadness of his childhood, through the ups and downs of his professional career, through his romances and his life-altering mistakes, and finally, through the lessons he has learned. Not merely a commemoration of his life and artistry, "Tupac: Resurrection" explores honestly and openly Shakur’s many complexities. It examines the artist’s gifts, passions and conflicts, and unravels the mystique of his life by looking at those who influenced him early on. An intimate portrait of a young man who rose from a life of adversity into a global icon who touched millions of lives, "Tupac: Resurrection" is the only film made in collaboration with Shakur’s mother, former Black Panther Afeni Shakur. It is also the only film told entirely in his own words. Visually stunning, this inspirational life story features never-before-seen concert footage, private home movies and excerpts from Tupac’s poetry and journals, all of which serve to create a very personal portrayal of a sensitive, passionate and often provocative artist who died before his time. In addition, the film features a soundtrack of Shakur’s best-selling music, as well as all new music by Biggie Smalls, Eminem, 50 Cent and Shakur himself, who currently ranks among the top 40 best-selling artists of all time, with more than 33.5 million records sold to date. [More]
Starring: Tupac Shakur
Starring: Tupac Shakur
Director: Lauren Lazin
Director: Lauren Lazin
Producer: Preston L. Holmes, Karolyn Ali, Lauren Lazin
Studio: Paramount Pictures
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Reviews for Tupac: Resurrection
Whether he's dead or alive, this film reveals Tupac to be a scared, skinny kid with a gun, and a vulnerable human being who could easily be pierced by bullets, just like the rest of us.
The film would have been strengthened if it had been a little more willing to challenge Tupac’s behaviour.
A must-see not only for fans of Shakur's music but for anyone who appreciates a well-told life story.
The film gives a fine sense of why Shakur’s fans carry the torch for his legacy. But it's better from the perspective of that spirit on the streets, not up in the clouds.
Content to be a kind of Valentine to the slain rapper -- so reliant on recycled MTV footage that it feels more like a Behind the Music special than a feature film.
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| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
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