Nemesis. USA 2007. Directed by Lee Cipolla

Young and rising rapper Nemesis confronts problems, when his best friend and fellow rapper Razor Ric begins to envy the success of his friend. This makes them enemies, which is just a situation money-greedy record label managers want. And gangsta rap ain't nothing without big guns.

In few years, there has been two big budget drama films about rappers, which were helmed by respected directors: 8 Mile by Curtis Hanson (with Eminem) and Get Rich or Die Tryin' by Jim Sheridan (with 50 Cent). Hanson succeeded with a good story and uplifting freestyle battle rap contest scenes. Sheridan didn't do well with Get Rich, mainly because of the lame screenplay and 50 Cent, who has no talents for acting. When it comes to indie productions, there are not so many available for wider audience. Lee Cipolla's Nemesis is one that should get much attention, since it simply deserves it.

It is always delighting when a film that focuses on some other cultural aspects you are no familiar with (which is hip hop culture for me), grabs your attention from the first minute. A nice, simple but appealing storyline together with very capable actors and actresses makes a combination that is hard to resist. There are some cliches in the storyline, but guess what - the record industry is full of those. One of the most brilliant messages of the film is to question who is a real gangsta and who's not, and then ask is it respectable or just a product for record label industry. Also, there wouldn't been better choices for Nemesis and his pal/enemy Razor Ric - Sheaun McKinney and Marlon Taylor really know what they are doing, and show no overacting as well.

Since Nemesis is independent production, there is no big studio backing and it shows. Most of the time in a good way, because it also means no compromises in the story (this means that there are no unnecessary violence involved in the vein of big buck action Hollywood flicks, so also this was a surprising find!). But when Nemesis performs, there is a handful of extras cheering in a small club, although it sounds like a thousand fans in an outdoor festival. This is a minor fault, but it causes some unintentional laughs and takes credibility away. It's a little pity too, since the soundtrack and sound design is otherwise planned carefully.

Nemesis has been shot on HD, and yes - the photography looks absolutely beautiful. The lighting and the colors are in their own right place. It's fascinating how low budget productions can look as good as their multi-million dollar counterparts. But when there are talented crew behind them, anything can happen.

Nemesis works as a great stepping stone for director Cipolla, producers Jeremy Mitchell and Justin Marx (also a director of photography) - but also for Sheaun McKinney and Marlon Taylor, who gave faces for characters that feel real.