10 Years Later, This Gritty Music Biopic Is One of the Biggest Streaming Hits in the World

Everyone bemoans the music biopic and its hackneyed tropes, but there’s a reason why studios keep churning them out: As seen with Michael, which became the rare non-franchise/IP movie to gross over $1 billion, these films routinely print money. Globally beloved music artists like Michael Jackson and Queen are IP in their own right, and these films often draw a massive audience simply because they include hits from the artist’s catalog. Every once in a while, though, audiences are blessed with a music biopic that hits like a great pop song you could listen to over and over again. Straight Outta Compton, released in 2015, didn’t try to upend the genre notorious for its rigid archetypes; instead, director F. Gary Gray (who, before helming studio blockbusters, directed countless ’90s rap/R&B music videos, most notably Ice Cube’s “It Was a Good Day”) told the story of N.W.A., and its star rappers Eazy-E, Dr. Dre, and Ice Cube, with integrity, pristine craft, and a genuine passion for the rap group’s work and their importance to the music industry. Now available to stream on Netflix, where it’s among the top 10 most-streamed films in the company’s library, Straight Outta Compton still hasn’t missed a beat.