"Notorious" is the story of Christopher Wallace. Through raw talent and sheer determination, Wallace transforms himself from Brooklyn street hustler (once selling crack to pregnant women) to one of the greatest rappers of all time: The Notorious B.I.G. Follow his meteoric rise to fame and his refusal to succumb to expectations - redefining our notion of "The American Dream."
For a hardcore fan of his music and his life, it rings true.
– Ben Lyons,
At the Movies,
20 Jan 2009
fresh:
If Milk set the standard for biopics in 2008, then 2009 is off to a strong start with Notorious.
– Ben Mankiewicz,
At the Movies,
20 Jan 2009
rotten:
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.
– David Denby,
New Yorker,
20 Jan 2009
fresh:
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.
– David Edelstein,
New York Magazine/Vulture,
20 Jan 2009
rotten:
As mainstream hip hop becomes ever more predictable, so do the biopics about its stars.