The Trailer:
Director: Rick Famuyiwa
Main Cast: Shameik Moore, Kiersey Clemmons, & Tony Revolori
Plot Summary: Three young geeks—Malcom (Shameik Moore), Diggy (Kiersey Clemmons), and Jib (Tony Revolori)— living in Inglewood, California have a life changing adventure after attending a local drug dealer's birthday party.
There is only one word to describe this film: DOPE! I cannot get over how much I like it. This is the first movie in a long while where it's a constant five star masterpiece through and through. There is not one dull moment, every scene has a purpose. Dope is a coming-of-age tale for a new generation, the generation of millennials who lack a true knowledge of a world without technology and who are immersed in internet culture. And while, yes there is plenty of drama, the writers were not afraid to pile on the laughs, which there are plenty of.
The first thing I have to comment on is the acting. Shameik Moore, Kiersey Clemmons, and Tony Revolori are realistic reflections of youth today. You know how sometimes you watch movies about teenagers and the whole time you're thinking "what teenager acts like that? dresses like that? talks like that?", but Dope captures teenagers of today in a fresh, genuine, funky way and I am so happy for it. I mean, I knew kids like this when I was in high school (which was only four years ago). Oh, and they aren't a bunch of thirty year olds trying to pass off as high schoolers, they all look young which is so helpful in keeping us focused on the story at hand. And I credit these realistic characters not only to the writers, but to the actors who embody their characters so wholly and give us each a convincing performance that never dips into clichés or stereotypes. Malcolm is a smart, do-gooder, with a strong moral compass and dreams of a higher education at Harvard, who was raised by a single mother living in a bad neighborhood. He is nothing like the other kids living in his neighborhood and finds himself as an outsider most of the time, along with his two friends Diggy and Jib. Diggy is a lesbian whose family has tried to pray the gay out of her, and who has naive ideals about political correctness, and a strong sense of loyalty. Jib is a funny, chill yet nervous kid who also has dreams of a higher education despite being from a bad neighborhood. Each character displayed beautiful parabolic character arcs that not only forces each of them to believe in themselves, but also solidifies their friendship to one another. That's what I love most about these characters: their friendship. I have faith in their loyalty and the real love they feel for one another. And in a world where everyone is living with the sentiment of "every man for himself", this is a heartwarming and refreshing reminder that with people who we truly love, we can accomplish anything. Also, let me just say that with this film, each actor laid down a solid foundation for very promising careers. So let's give them a round of applause, y'all!!
Now for the plot. So as I said in the summary, Malcom, Diggy, and Jib attend a local drug dealers party, despite their better judgement, and end up in possession of a large amount of drugs. In an attempt to rid themselves of the drugs, they end up getting into more shenanigans: some of it ridiculously funny, some of it terrifyingly dangerous. I won't get into any of the situations they find themselves in, because then what would be the point of watching it, right? But I will say that through this plot we, the audience, are posed with a lot of valid questions about American society, racism, and political correctness. And the film does this without being preachy or condescending. They simply lay the questions out there so we can figure out the answers to them for ourselves. The direction, cinematography, and editing of the film is brilliant. The story and execution of it is amazing and created a space for the actors to give organic performances. The cinematography is gorgeous: every scene has bold colors, is crisp, and just chock full of vivid visuals. The editing might be the best part of Dope: there are scenes that will be shown, and then a flashback of what lead to that moment and it's just perfect. Plus the meme montage!! I mean, are you kidding me? Memes are so relevant to internet culture and utilizing that makes the film very fresh and new. Although I do realize that the usage of memes will inevitably age the movie— let's be real, we all know one day memes will be a thing of the past—, but I appreciate that time stamp. This film will always be a reflection of what 2015 was for the younger millennial generation and will serve as a reminder for us when we watch this movie at an older age. Oooh, and then the soundtrack is out-of-this-world, fantastic! It fits the story well and might just be the best soundtrack to a film ever! The moment I heard Korn in the film, I knew that this soundtrack was going to be unsurpassable by any other film score/soundtrack. Especially the songs that were produced for this film performed by Malcom, Diggy, and Jib's band "Awreeoh" are amazing. They're so good, I'm about to go download them right now!
While I do realize that the path the characters take in Dope isn't a recommended path to success, I believe it's more about what they learn from their journey. It's about the beautiful character arcs each of them had, and how it made them stronger, more dependable, loyal people who realized that they did want a better life than what is expected of them. They are not going to fall into the stereotypes of people who grow up in the hood, they are going to be better. But not out of a desire to prove people wrong or show them that despite where they come from they can be something, they want a better life because that's what everyone should want: not just poor kids from a bad neighborhood. And that's what I love about Dope. It's a film that demonstrates that who you become isn't only because of your circumstances, it's because of your choices also. Would I watch this film again? Hell fucking yeah!
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