Meet Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. To many, he is known as Lil Wayne, one of the most successful and universally recognized rappers to ever hit the airwaves. His latest album went platinum in a week and many consider him to be the voice of his generation. But for such a successful celebrity, there is a lot that people don't know about Lil Wayne - until now.
Given an unprecedented amount of access to both his public and private life, director Adam Bhala Lough attempts to grasp the inner workings of the famed rapper, showcasing his talent and love for music. Unfortunately, the story that everyone wants to see and hear is never shown. Instead, viewers get to lay eyes on a mediocre documentary that will come nowhere close to doing its main subject justice.
Instead of digging into his inspirations and influences, The Carter chooses to show footage of him recording tracks and preforming on-stage. Interviews are few and far between as those watching are forced to piece together the clues and derive a conclusion that suits themselves. Their is no definitive direction for either the film or the life of Lil Wayne; making you wonder if the lack of depth occurred in the editing room or was a consolation to the lack of access to the star and his 'private' life.
That isn't to say that the entire film was pointless; in fact, many interesting facts surfaced during the screening. For one, Lil Wayne never writes down his music. Instead, he carries a portable studio around in a small black bag, giving him the chance to record whenever he feels inspired. The technique is rare, especially in terms of his star power and respect within the industry, paving way for a new wave of admiration from newfound fans.
Then there is the whole personality issue. Getting to see Carter quickly end an interview due to 'stupid' questions is priceless as he simply looks at his assistant and states, "get this guy out of here, I don't like him." The attitude is hilarious, but nothing compares to the face of the journalist, who quickly becomes the cause for an awkward, on-screen moment. Throw in a candid interview with his daughter Reginae, an interesting Presidential-thought and a hint of some previously unheard music, and The Carter does show signs of success.
However, in the end, the film fails to generate much buzz as it feels more like an overrun MTV Behind-the-Scenes special than an actual documentary. The language is bad and content mature; however, all that aside, there is little that separates this from what often finds its way onto television sets. There is just not enough substance to satisfy even the most adoring of Carter's fans.
