Demetrius Shipp Jr. and Kat Graham star in a scene from the movie "All Eyez on Me." The Catholic News Service classification is O -- morally offensive. (CNS/Codeblack Films)

By Catholic News Service

Radical politics and the wayward values of hip-hop culture take this sometimes intense but overlong and rarely insightful biography of rapper Tupac Shakur (Demetrius Shipp Jr.) off course.

Born into a family of Black Panther activists — Danai Gurira turns in a powerful performance as his mother, Afeni — the future singer and actor confronts the challenges of an inner-city childhood before gaining stardom. Structured around an interview with a fictional journalist (Hill Harper) during a real stint in prison, the retrospective takes in Shakur’s lifelong friendship with Jada Pinkett (Kat Graham), his partnership with rage-prone producer Suge Knight (Dominic Santana) and his romance with Quincy Jones’ daughter, Kidada (Annie Ilonzeh).

An implicit acceptance of debauchery, rampant materialism, an ambivalent outlook on narcotics and a script laden with obscenities set director Benny Boom’s film at odds with faith-based values. Some violence and gore, strong sexual content, including aberrant behavior, cohabitation and rear and upper female nudity, drug use, about a dozen profanities, relentless rough and crude language.

The Catholic News Service classification is O — morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R — restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

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