The Screen Addict | Dear Mama
Binge-watched the superb and thoroughly comprehensive documentary series Dear Mama (2023) on Disney+ the other day.
I first found out about the multi-talented Tupac Amaru Shakur when I saw Above the Rim (1994) on a rickety VHS tape many years ago. I had probably been aware of his music too, but it was Shakur’s strong performance in a handful of early-Nineties pics that really made an impact on me.
Back then, I was fascinated by urban Dramas like Boyz n the Hood (1991) and Menace II Society (1993), and AtR fit right in. Shakur had actually made his feature debut two years prior with Juice (1992) – or, if you want to get really specific, with a Digital Underground performance in Nothing But Trouble (1991) – but it was his turn as the menacing street thug Birdie in AtR that I saw first.
Shakur is on fire in AtR. Ever the aspiring method-actor, he adopted specific mannerisms and idiosyncrasies from a real-life gangbanger who he befriended on the New York set.
The film features an impressive cast – Leon, Bernie Mac, Marlon Wayans, Wood Harris – but it’s newcomer Shakur who stands out. Although Birdie is a supporting character, Shakur truly commands the few scenes he’s in and further proves he’s just a naturally gifted performer – not to mention his contribution to the stellar soundtrack.
With six feature films under his belt in only five years, I am convinced that Shakur was on his way to become a huge movie star. Perhaps eventually even overshadowing his musical career.
Director Allen Hughes – of whom I’ve been a big fan since his early work – was destined to make DM. Not only did he and his brother Albert direct three of Shakur’s music videos, they also famously clashed with him over a part in their debut feature MIIS. The incident even becomes part of the documentary when Hughes turns the camera on himself and speaks candidly about the altercation. It is a telling anecdote about the complicated young man that Shakur was.
Hughes brilliantly reflects the complexity of Shakur’s character through juxtaposing his trials and tribulations to those of his mother Afeni Shakur, who was a key figure in the Black Panther movement. The documentary does an incredible job of deep-diving into the turbulent times of two generations and the profound effects of those events on two strongly-voiced individuals.
Not only is Hughes’ documentary meticulously researched and realized, it is a technical marvel as well. The pacing, directing and editing are simply gorgeous.
I know of course that Tupac Amaru Shakur was so much more than a gifted actor and musician. I just happened to discover him through movies, because that is where my passion lies. A few years ago, I even got the chance to be personally involved with Shakur’s legacy, when I acquired All Eyez on Me (2017) for BeNeLux. In this biopic, Tupac is played by Demetrius Shipp Jr., a first-time actor who bears an uncanny physical resemblance to the legendary musician.
Hughes’ DM taught me that had Shakur not been killed at age 25, in all probability he would have been a leading figure in political activism today.
They say the light that burns twice as bright, burns half as long. Shakur lived a more accomplished life in 25 years than most people would in three lifetimes. But still. What an utterly devastating loss.
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Twitter (X): Robin Logjes | The Screen Addict