BIG IT UP; DVD OF THE WEEK.

Byline: JESSICA MELLOR

CNOTORIOUS (15, pounds 19.99) ****

hristopher Wallace - also known as Biggie Smalls, Big Poppa and Notorious B.I.G. - was the iconic rapper shot dead at the age of 24 in 1997. This film attempts to uncover the real man behind the larger-thanlife lyricist and also reveals him to have been a loving son and caring father.

This exciting and thoughtful movie was co-produced by Biggie's mum Voletta, and that's why it manages to defy the stereotypes sometimes associated with the rap genre.

Successfully combining drama, romance and pathos in a stirring story, director George Tillman Jnr achieves all this by using a choice cast and employing a sharp eye for detail.

Jamal Woolard is mesmerising as the adult Biggie, but the story first takes us through his early years, where Biggie's real-life son Christopher Jordan Wallace plays his dad to great effect.

Growing up in Brooklyn in a one-parent family, strong mum Voletta (Angela Bassett) does her best to keep Biggie on the straight and narrow, but the pull of the streets is too much for this intelligent, restless boy and he's soon getting up to no good.

Biggie tries to put some of his energy into writing lyrics. However, as he grows up, getting rich quick becomes more of a priority and drug dealing offers him the means. While in prison for a drug-related offence, Biggie puts pen to paper and his demo tape ends up in the hands of ambitious producer Puff Daddy (Derek Luke).

When Puffy forms his own company - Bad Boy Records - he takes Biggie with him and promises to make the pioneering rapper a star. He then meets and quickly marries the love of his life Faith Evans (Antonique Smith) and things start looking up. Then a complicated relationship with his pet project, female rapper Lil Kim (Naturi Naughton), and a spat with West Coast rapper Tupac Shakur (Anthony Mackie), threaten to upset the equilibrium.

Brooklyn-born Jamal is remarkable as Biggie and pulls off a difficult role with aplomb. The performance scenes are well choreographed, with a real crowd watching a real show by Jamal rather than it being staged.

The DVD also has deleted scenes and loads of featurettes.

CAPTION(S):

THE REAL DEAL: Biggie Smalls UNCANNY: Jamal Woolard as Biggie Smalls WHO'S THE DADDY? Derek Luke and Woolard