While the products on French rap are a hit at the moment, Supremes comes out this Wednesday in theaters. After Validated season 2 and the documentary on Orelsan entitled Never Show That to anyone, it is the turn of the NTM group to have its own biopic. Directed by Audrey Estrougo, the feature film looks back at the rise of Joey Starr and Kool Shen in the French rap scene in the 1990s. To embody the two rappers, Théo Christine was chosen to interpret Didier Morville aka Joey Starr and Sandor Funtek was selected to play Bruno Lopes, aka Kool Shen. Supremes is an effective biopic but lacks depth.
Supremes: an extremely well-paced film…
Definitely, French rap is on all media at the moment. While Orelsan's new album, Civilisation, is currently a hit, the group NTM is in the spotlight this Wednesday in dark rooms. Indeed, Audrey Estrougo has decided to embark on a biopic on Joey Starr and Kool Shen. The filmmaker delivers a film that is quite classic but devilishly effective. 1H50 of footage that unfolds at a crazy speed. The tempo is perfect, like rap, lively, fast, which goes to the essential. Supremes is far from being an unpleasant film and turns out to be an entertainment that goes to 100 per hour. 
Carried by an explosive soundtrack (necessarily), the film owes a lot to its two young performers. If Theo Christine comes out with honors in the skin of Joey Starr, although he sometimes does a little too much, it is especially Sandor Funtek who simply bursts the screen. With his Reda Kateb looks, the young actor is brilliant in the skin of Kool Shen, and manages to give him a staggering depth. A load-bearing element, he manages to remain touching while steering the ship with an iron fist. Intelligent, funny, sentimental, he is THE character of Supremes.
… but that does not go into details
Despite its seductive pace, Supremes is a biopic that is sorely lacking in depth. Audrey Estrougo always remains on the surface, and lacks depth. Supremes is a classic, uninnovative work that follows the basic articulation of this kind of production: the rise in power, the doubts, the tear until the consecration. The protagonists lack development, and certain situations are overlooked, such as the extremely rare recording assignments. This frantic pace has a counterpart: a feeling of superficiality quite rare in films adapted from the lives of artists. 
The problems of the suburbs in the media scene as well as the family problems of the characters are also overlooked. The relationship of the two artists with their clan is also touched. Above all, the secondary characters do not really exist, and are simply soulless figures who serve the scenario. Perhaps, too, Audrey Estrougo decides to spread over too many years rather than focus on certain specific facts. Finally, Supremes is not so much appreciated for the story, which is already quite well known, but for the rap itself. Because Supremes finds his best expression when he stages rap concerts, filmed with a certain talent. A musical film more than a writing film, Supremes is an undeniably effective entertainment, but which regularly flies over its purpose. https://youtu.be/gebxTdDkWzA
