Straight Outta Compton is living up to the hype at the box office this weekend. The N.W.A. biopic pulled in $24 million on Friday alone, and it's projected to make at least $57 million during opening weekend, Variety reports. The film, directed by F. Gary Gray, was made on a budget of $29 million and was expected to make about that much back at opening weekend. Lucky for Universal, Compton left that prediction in the dust.
The definitive story of N.W.A's rise to fame has garnered mixed reviews — some say it builds up well but loses steam, others say it sugarcoats the real N.W.A. experience, and still others say it marginalizes violence against black women that was an integral part of the group's credo. But just as many reviews call Compton a vital, vibrant underdog story that holds special significance given recent events. And if box office numbers, Twitter, and pure badassery are any measure, the film is a definite must-see.
