Stars:
Jamal Woolard,
Angela Bassett,
Derek Luke,
Anthony Mackie,
Antonique Smith,
Naturi Naughton,
Dennis White,
Julia Pace Mitchell
Director:
George Tillman Jr
Summary: This biopic from executive producer Sean 'Diddy' Combs explores the life and death of East Coast rapper Notorious B.I.G. Newcomer Jamal Woolard stars as Biggie Smalls, but big names fill out the rest of the cast: Angela Bassett plays the rapper's mother, Derek Luke co-stars as Combs, and Anthony Mackie plays rival Tupac Shakur. Bassett's real life counterpart, Voletta Wallace, acts as one of the film's producers.
The dramatic retelling of the life, remarkable rise, and violent fall of rapper Christopher Wallace (aka the Notorious B.I.G.), NOTORIOUS plays like A STAR IS BORN set to a rattling gangsta snare. With crisp direction by George Tillman Jr., producer of the BARBERSHOP series, the film is briskly paced and strikes a worthy balance between sensationalized celebrity biopic and behind-the-scenes drama. Angela Bassett anchors the latter with a nuanced performance as Voletta, Wallace’s long-suffering single mother who attempts to shelter him from the mean streets of Bed-Stuy.
With deep involvement by those who knew him best--the real Voletta Wallace and Sean 'Puff Daddy' Combs (played dynamically by Derek Luke) co-produced--the film nonetheless unflinchingly portrays Biggie’s troubled history as a teenage crack dealer, his chronic infidelity and poor fathering skills, and his own role in stoking the ludicrous coastal rivalry that claimed both his and Tupac Shakur’s lives. NOTORIOUS delivers an impactful tribute to its subject's genius--revealing to fans and neophytes alike the microphone skills, narrative chops, and fresh vision that made Wallace one of hip-hop’s greatest all-time MCs. Largely, this is due to the ace performance by Jamal Woolard, an amateur rapper who packed on 50 pounds to play the hulking gangsta.