REVIEW: Dope

Courtesy of Open Road

On the surface, it might seem like a tale about a nerdy black kid hoping to overcome his tough Inglewood, Calif. neighborhood wouldn’t connect to a wide variety of moviegoers. But the funny thing about stories is that the more specific they are, the more universal they become. Most of us, at some point, have felt like we don’t belong. We have felt that we were meant for a different life.

That’s exactly how Malcolm (Shameik Moore, making a memorable big screen debut) and his two best friends, Diggy (the dazzling Kiersey Clemons) and Jib (Tony Revolori, best known from The Grand Budapest Hotel), feel. They’re obsessed with ’90s hip hop culture and they’ve all got their sights set on getting out of Inglewood and into good colleges. Their classmates – at least the ones who notice them at all – see them as aliens or easy targets for bullies.

That all changes when Malcolm’s crush (Zoe Kravitz) invites him to a party thrown by a drug dealer named Dom (A$ap Rocky). His buddies tell him it will destroy their carefully cultivated plans, but Malcolm’s too into the girl to care. And, of course, things go bad almost immediately. When rival dealers shoot up the place, Malcolm, Diggy and Jib flee from the scene, only to later discover that Dom hid his drugs and gun in Malcolm’s backpack. Their attempts to unload the contraband lead them on a wild adventure full of interesting characters, but they’ll be legends if they can pull it off.

Although Dope suffers from some jarring tonal issues (writer-director Rick Famuyiwa doesn’t seem to know if he’s making a satire, a drama, a coming of age tale or a wacky teen sex comedy) and a sluggish third act (the movie’s easily 20 minutes too long), it’s still a funny, sometimes moving story full of fun characters and great music. Plus, there’s an important message: although it’s easier to pigeonhole people based on our preconceived notions, humanity isn’t that simple.

We’re a diverse mix of people, even if we live in the same area or share certain basic interests. “Remember that everyone is unique” sounds like a simple moral, but it’s one that we often overlook accidentally or ignore on purpose.

I’m genuinely shocked that a small flick like Dope is playing in local theaters. Films like this usually play in arthouses or Atlanta-area multiplexes. So if you’re someone who complains about the lack of variety in the movies we get around here, check out the trailer for Dope. If it seems like your cup of tea, buying a ticket is a great way to prove that small towns can support a wide range of films.

Dope is rated R for language, drug content, sexuality/nudity, and some violence – all involving teens.

Grade: B