The real-life murder of Flowers was a lightning rod that critics of rapper Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson's biopic hardly needed. "Get Rich" is a natural battleground in the debate over crime and violence in popular culture.

A barely fictionalized account of Jackson's rise from a drug-dealing, armed- robbing gangster in New York to one of rap's iconic figures, "Get Rich" will be interpreted by opposing sides of the free speech debate as either urgent insight into the origins of inner-city crime or an irresponsible glorification of gang violence.

Sometimes it's hard to find the line.

Jackson's story is effective as a provocative explanation of why otherwise hopeless kids turn to crime for power and respect. Then again, Marcus - Jackson's movie alter-ego - doesn't ring true as a message kind of guy. Jackson isn't really acting; he's inserting himself into a dramatized version of his life.

And this is the same guy who stars in "50 Cent: Bulletproof," an ultra- violent video game that promises "25 counter-kill moves" to take down enemies. 50 Cent doesn't care how the movie sells, as long as it sells.

So maybe it's a bit of stealthy genius that 50 Cent's acting mirrors his rapping style.

His character is monotonous and emotionally drowsy, never wandering far beyond a worn ghetto man-child template.

Marcus is a peace-maker among thugs, a "gangsta" with a million-dollar smile, constantly imploring his crew to "Relax, relax."

He would be more compelling if Jackson relaxed a little less. The relentless anxiety of a life constrained by body armor barely registers on Jackson's face or in his behavior.

"Get Rich" yearns to be an epic gangster tale in the mold of "Scarface," but it just feels too flat, more like a sample of a hit than a hit in its own right.

The way Marcus tells the story, his questionable redemption is earned through violence, which seems to give critics a foothold in declaring that "Get Rich" tries to justify murder and theft.

Wouldn't it be nice if 50 Cent and his movie could be dismissed that easily? Regardless of how objectionable and mediocre some of us find "Get Rich," Jackson's vision of the American Dream is alive and well in this country, hanging by a thread in neighborhoods that opinionated writers like myself never visit.

Anti-violence advocates can tune out Jackson's perspective if they want, but none of us can deny his right to speak.

Daniel Goldberg can be reached at movies@upstatelink.com.