Although I typically consider myself to be of the white middle-class suburbanite schoolgirl variety, Eminem has the power to make me think about changing my major to free style rapping.

Any movie that begins with Marshall Mathers dressed in Rocky-worthy garb, pretending to rap in front of a broken mirror has great potential once he utters, 'I'm ready,' and gives a stone-cold face that sends a shiver through the audience. Eminem's new movie, '8 Mile' is the most surprisingly captivating movie in the ever popular genre of quasi-autobiographical rapper dramas.

The film centers around Jimmy Smith, aka Rabbit, whose stage fright limits his ability to successfully rap around Detroit until a mix of one-dimensional characters help him face his demons. Eminem's acting ability is not bad despite the constant furrow in his forehead that screams, 'I'm a pensive victim.'

The supporting roles are nicely filled by Kim Basinger as the greatest trailer park mother ever, Mekhi Phifer, far from his 'Carmen: A Hip-Hopera' days, but with a distractingly horrible wig, and Brittany Murphy.

The plot itself is a bit redundant'trailer, work, street fight, trailer, car, street fight'but it is nonetheless driven by the audience's enthusiasm for Rabbit. The documentary style cinematography and lack of any cheesy voice-overs also adds to the realism, making me believe it when Murphy's character says to Rabbit, 'You're gonna be great.'

What surprises me the most about this movie is the fact that Eminem has the power to pull off such an ambitious endeavor. Not only is it directed by one of the greats, Curtis Hanson, but it has drawn a following of everyone from the middle-aged man next to me who joined in when the characters chanted, 'Go Rabbit,' to the unfortunate toddler in the back of the theatre whose ears had to be assaulted by a four letter word every half second.

Eminem steers clear from too many controversial topics, though there is the occasional politically incorrect racial, sexist and homophobic comment. Maybe this is because it is based on Eminem's life... oops, I mean, only partially based on his life. I mean, who would ever believe that this is true stuff, just because Rabbit does not get along well with his mom, he is harassed by other rappers for being white and his little blond sister is named Lily (who does not happen to be played by his little blond daughter named Haley). Whatever he wants to say about it, the story is entertaining.

Go see this movie, whoever you are. This is the only film I have ever seen that can combine street violence, so many expletives that it prevents me from quoting lines, a love scene in a factory and an interesting variation of the song 'Sweet Home Alabama.'

Just go, enjoy it, and let yourself be a rapper for a couple hours. Then come back, find me, and we'll battle.