Tupac: Resurrection is a 2003 American documentary film about the life and death of rapper and actor Tupac Shakur. The film, directed by Lauren Lazin and released by Paramount Pictures, is narrated by Shakur himself.
Tupac: Resurrection premiered at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival on January 22, 2003, and was released in the United States by Paramount Pictures on November 14, 2003. As of July 1, 2008, it had earned over $7.8 million, making it the 21st-highest-grossing documentary film in the United States - (in nominal dollars, from 1982 to the present). The film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature at the 77th Academy Awards.
Contents
Synopsis
Tupac details his childhood, from growing up with a mother addicted to crack to being taken care of by drug dealers on the streets, as well as the type of jobs he had to do to make money. He also talks about his love for poetry, his friendship with Jada, what his lyrics mean, and about the negative resentment the media has had on him. This documentary then details his shooting, his reaction to getting shot, his paranoia after getting shot, and ultimately his death. The documentary ends with Tupac coming to terms with his life and his past, understanding the wrongs that he has done, as well as giving a monologue about stereotypes of Black men, telling Blacks to not give in to stereotypes and to control themselves, and it also shows the impact Tupac has had on the entire world.
Reception
Critical response
Tupac: Resurrection has an approval rating of 78% on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 90 reviews, and an average rating of 6.75/10. The website's critical consensus states, "There's no question where the director's loyalty lies in this one-sided tribute; however, Tupac's charisma makes this doc an engaging sit". Metacritic assigned the film a weighted average score of 66 out of 100, based on 33 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".
Accolades
2005: Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature (nomination)
2004: Black Reel Award for Best Film (nomination)
Soundtrack
An official 14-track soundtrack album was released, although it only contained nine songs that featured in the movie. The following tracks, listed alphabetically by title, are written and/or performed by Tupac and feature in the film:
2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted
Ballad of a Dead Soulja
Black Jesuz
Breathin
Brenda's Got a Baby
California Love Remix
Can U C the Pride in the Panther - Performed by Mos Def
Case of the Misplaced Mic
Changes
Cradle to the Grave
Dear Mama
Everything They Owe
Fame
Family Tree - Performed by Lamar Antwon Robinson
Hail Mary
Hell 4 a Hustler
Hit 'Em Up
Holler If Ya Hear Me
Homeboyz
I Get Around
I'm Gettin Money
If I Die 2 Nite
Keep Ya Head Up
Let Em Have It