8 Mile is a 2002 drama film co-produced and directed by Curtis Hanson from a script written by Scott Silver.

A blue-collar worker, Jimmy has moved to the run-down Detroit trailer home of his alcoholic mother, Stephanie after breaking up with his pregnant girlfriend Janeane.

He also lives with his younger sister Lily, and Stephanie's abusive live-in boyfriend, Greg, who is later revealed to be a former schoolmate of Jimmy's as well as his friend David Porter, another aspiring rapper who performs under the stage name "Future".

Desperate for money, he asks for extra shifts, but his supervisor bluntly dismisses his request because of his habitual tardiness.

Stephanie discovers an eviction notice as Jimmy is getting ready for work, deciding not to reveal it to Greg because he has a large settlement check from an accident coming in, which she hopes will buy her and Lily a new house.

The leader of the gang, Papa Doc, holds Jimmy at gunpoint and threatens to kill him, but Wink convinces him not to do it.

After the group has left Jimmy alone, his mother arrives with enough money to pay to avoid eviction, having won $3,200 at a bingo tournament, and the two reconcile.

Going first, Jimmy pre-empts Papa Doc's potential insults, acknowledging his own "white trash" roots and difficult life as well as the events of the film involving his prior loss, Cheddar Bob, Wink and Alex.

He also refutes his opponent's image as a thug by revealing that Papa Doc (whose real name is Clarence) grew up in a wealthy suburb, attended private school, and still lives at home with his stable, happily married parents.

He recalled a remark from actor Russell Crowe, who had previously worked with Hanson, upon hearing about the project: “Good idea, Curtis.

[11] Hanson said that Eminem was involved in 8 Mile from the project's inception, as writer Scott Silver developed the script with him in mind.

Early drafts, however, lacked a strong connection to Detroit and set Eminem’s character as a hotel bellboy.

Hanson reworked the script to ground it in Detroit’s identity, moving the character to an automotive stamping plant, shifting the timeline to 1995, and adding elements like the local radio station and arson scenes emblematic of the city’s struggles.

While Eminem’s input on the script was limited to initial discussions, Hanson collaborated with him closely during rehearsals, particularly on the rap battles, explaining their thematic significance as Eminem crafted lyrics, including the theme song “Lose Yourself.” Hanson emphasized authentic casting, bringing in Detroit locals and fostering a bond among the actors, most of whom were new to film.

Their group name, 3 1/3, emerged organically during rehearsals, symbolizing Detroit’s 313 area code and a deeper commentary on identity and unity.

For Hanson, the goal was to create an authentic portrayal of this world, finding performers who could fully embody their characters.

3 in Box Office Mojo's "Pop Star Debuts" list, behind Austin Powers in Goldmember (Beyoncé) and The Bodyguard (Whitney Houston).

[18] Then, 8 Mile beat The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers to reach the number one spot in the UK, collecting a total of $7.2 million in its opening weekend.

[25] CinemaScore polls conducted during the opening weekend revealed the average grade cinemagoers gave 8 Mile was "B+" on an A+ to F scale, with the core under-21 demographics giving it an A.

He said that we "are hardly started in 8 Mile, and already we see that this movie stands aside from routine debut films by pop stars" and that it is "a faithful reflection of his myth".

He was happy with Rabbit's "tender side" presented through his relationship with the "adorable" Greenfield as his sister, but felt that Basinger was "really miscast".