First off, sorry for the long delay between posts. Real life got in the way and then my site log in was acting up. I know all two of my readers probably missed me. After a long lay off, It seems appropriate that my first review is a film from last year.
Dope (2015) follows high school senior Malcolm (Shameik Moore), a “geek” from a Los Angeles neighborhood known as “The Bottoms” where crime is frequent. Malcolm wants to go to his dream college, Harvard, and basically rise above his circumstances.
He and his friends Diggy (Kiersey Clemons) and Jib (Tony Revolori) accept a party invitation from a local drug dealer at a local club that turns violent and Malcolm is left with a bag full of drugs and several people looking to take it from him.
While it may seem like I described an intense thriller, the film is actually incredibly hilarious. The quest to get rid of the bag becomes a sort of “caper” as the stakes get ridiculously higher. Malcolm and his friends careen from one strange situation to the next, somehow making it out by the skin of their teeth.
Writer/Director Rick Famuyiwa’s script is never boring and the dialogue is perfect. He expertly uses “rewinds” in place of flashbacks. It gives the film a kinetic feel that reflects how crazy the situations these kids get into can get. And Famuyiwa can do the “simple” scene well. There is a dream sequence on a bus that I loved. It was like a quick rest for both Malcolm and the audience to take a breath.
And while this madness provides laughs, there is a deeper meaning. Famuyiwa infuses the film with blistering social commentary about race, class and what it means in the real world. Kids in Malcolm’s place are constantly told all they need to do is keep on the straight and narrow and get good grades, but Malcolm (and us) start to see that isn’t always the case. And while some people will roll their eyes, at no point is it ever heavy handed or pandering. The film’s message is earned through the “caper’s” resolution. Much like Malcolm, we learn organically.
And that is what makes this film truly great: Malcolm. He is a “perfect” character: You root for him because he is realistically flawed, but incredibly likable. Malcolm is often awkward, especially around women. He stares for uncomfortably long periods of time. But he is also honest and essentially a good kid who hasn’t figured things out yet. He is smart, but he’s naively arrogant about it. Grades got him through high school, but in the real world, not so much. He uses his intelligence at the wrong moments or when the situation doesn’t really call for it. But like I said earlier, Malcolm learns organically. When he finally figures out the best way to use that intelligence, it’s incredibly satisfying.
But Shameik Moore is not the only stand out in the film. Clemons and Revolori are great as Malcolm’s friends and provide some of my favorite comedic moments. Blake Anderson’s turn as a stoner/hacker that helps Malcolm is incredibly entertaining and provides some really funny material regarding white people using the “N-word.” And while I haven’t mentioned her before this, Zoe Kravitz is great as Nakia, a sort of love interest for Malcolm…though that description really sells the role short. That would probably be my only minor complaint; There should have been more with her. There isn’t really a weak performance here.
After I watched Dope, I had a smile going for awhile. As I write this review, it’s still there. It had a great main character, a fun but deep story and an awesome soundtrack.
Score: 10 out of 10