Dope (Review)

Dope (2015)

Comedy, Drama

Directed By: Rick Famuyiwa

It is always a wonderful feeling when I leave the theater with my expectations exceeded, a smile on my face, and the desire to do nothing more than rave the film I just saw.  This was exactly the case as I walked out of Dope last night, the newest movie from Rick Famuyiwa (The Wood). He tells a one of a kind coming of age story centering in one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in the country and it's one of the first movies to truly capture the spirit of the younger generation. Succeeding as a drama, comedy, and fairly genius social satire, Dope is a breath of fresh air in a genre that's been diluted by cliché stories and boring characters.

Set in modern day Inglewood, Los Angeles the story centers on a trio of high school best friends who don't seem to fit in with the times. They are straight A students in a place where education is hardly taken seriously and they have a deep love for 90's hip-hop. They aren't Bloods or Crips, they don’t sell drugs, they just want out of Inglewood. Malcolm (Shameik Moore), Jib (Tony Revolori), and Diggy (Kiersey Clemons) are finishing out their high school days when life takes a turn for the crazy. While riding home from school Malcolm gets stopped by a local drug dealer named Dom (ASAP Rocky) and ends up getting invited to an exclusive party that night. After some convincing from his friends they decide to actually go, despite being underage. When the party is broken up by the cops during a drug deal gone wrong, Malcolm and his friends find themselves with a back pack full of drugs and no idea how to get rid of it.

This movie is the long awaited film that finally represents the modern day drug trade and the young generation truthfully. There have been so many movies of the last few years that have claimed to capture the spirit of the generation. Movies like Spring Breakers (seriously? This movie is a joke) and Project X that are really just obnoxious views of what older generations think of today's youth. Dope is the first movie that actually respects and gives credit to this younger crowd. Instead of making Malcolm and his friends a group of punk drug dealers in Inglewood, they made them straight A students. Instead of claiming that every kid nowadays is lazy and greedy they show how in the modern day, even the most seedy of situations can breed brilliance.

What surprised me most about the film is how well rounded it is a whole. I didn't really know what to expect from this movie going, I mostly just knew it was a sort of coming of age story. So to see that this movie executes as a thrilling drama, hilarious comedy, and a clever social satire made me pleasantly surprised. I figured I'd get a few good laughs from it but I never expected it to be as great as it was. Multiple scenes made me laugh out loud and the use of certain plot devices made for fresh comedy. For example, Diggy is a lesbian and every time they see a good looking girl not only are Malcom and Jib getting googly eyed, but she is as well. This may not seem like much but it actually adds a whole other level of comedy and charm to the movie.

I mention this film working as a social satire as well, something I didn't expect at all. The film takes multiple jabs at certain tendencies we have acquired with new technology and as a throwaway society. Even with the drugs and the culture surrounding it, Molly is the new big street drug in real life and they find ways to poke fun at the MDMA happy society we now live in. As a twenty three year old this definitely rings home for me. I have seen plenty of people abuse this drug in the exact ways it is depicted in the film so I was a big appreciator of the attention to detail.

Maybe the films biggest success is the cast and the group of characters that they portray. Which such a diverse group of people this movie can actually feel real, there's no white washing or misrepresentation here. Malcolm, Jib, and Diggy feel like real modern day high school students, not just some cynical version of them some forty year old cooked up in his head. They are the modern day nerds and it’s great to see them acting as such. They aren't poindexters with their pocket protectors; they are kids who want out of the slums and to get into the riches. They study hard and do the work to make their dreams a reality. This is a film that finally shows some hope for the youth instead of disdain and cynicism. We need more films of this kind, movies that are willing to break the cookie cutter mold and show us some truth.

Shameik Moore, Tony Revolori, and Kiersey Clemons are incredible in their roles and really make these characters what they are. The chemistry the three strike on screen makes for one of the most believable and realistic group of friends I have seen in a movie, maybe ever. With support from Blake Anderson (Workaholics), Zoe Kravitz (Mad Max: Fury Road), and rapper ASAP Rocky there never seems to be a dull moment in the movie. Actually, if I do have one real complaint with the film it’s that there wasn't enough of Dom, ASAP Rocky's character. He was surprisingly fun and the acting work was much better than I expected from a rap artist.

The very end of the film is absolutely incredible. Clearly I won’t spoil anything but it makes a statement, and a big one at that. Rick Famuyiwa uses the final frames to make you think about what you just saw and how it reflects on us as a society. He forces you to ask yourself questions you probably don't want to ask. With the recent events in South Carolina and everything else going on this seemed like something we all needed to hear. If anything, those final frames will stick with you in the long run and make this a film worth remembering. I was surprised to find a packed theater last night and the crowd response was wonderful. If you’re looking for something smaller scale than all the mega blockbusters coming out right now than this is the perfect movie. It's smart, funny, clever, thrilling and more than anything just a plain old good time at the movies.

As always, thanks for reading and I am Zach Who Watches Movies. You can find me anytime on twitter @ZachWWMovies, smell ya later!