Dope

Dope_360P

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source: Dope

Coming out around the same time as Straight Outta Compton, which also deals with a group of friends in crime filled Cali that has a ton of music, Dope was a bit overshadowed in early August when it hit theaters. Make no mistake though, this is a really good film. It's highly entertaining, fast paced, and easily one of the most original screenplays of 2015 and perhaps of the past few years. We follow a group of 'nerds' as they call themselves who are highly intelligent but also love 90's rap and jamming out themselves as their own band Awreeoh. It just so happens that they get caught up in a dangerously tricky situation involving some 'dope'. It's fair to say that most of what happens in the film is a bit too coincidental, it is. But what I loved most was this group of nerds and their reactions to each coinciding event. Shameik Moore plays the lead character, Malcom, and he does so wonderfully. If Moore plays his cards correctly, I think we will hear about this kid for years to come. More importantly, you really buy into the groups dynamic. It never feels fake even when the situation surrounding them gets to be far- fetched. But I guess that also brings me to one of my negatives which is that after the first half or so it turns into Malcom's story. The first 45 minutes are great mainly because of the group's various endeavors. It's not a bad thing necessarily, it was just a tad less interesting. There's also a message behind the film that arises around the last 15 minutes or so and I can definitely see where it would be jarring to people. It doesn't take you out of the film per se but it is something you just have to accept. So Dope's first half is up in there in my most entertaining 45 minutes of 2015. The last hour is fine but it definitely brings the film down a notch. If anything, Dope is worth watching if you're a fan of rap, a nerd, or you would like to see one of the best performances from someone who likely won't even be considered for an Oscar. Or maybe you just want to check in and see how you're favorite rappers Tyga and ASAP Rocky did on the big screen. Either way, check out Dope. +Moore's breakthrough role +Music +Original idea turns out to be so fun +Nerds seem like actual nerds -Second half takes a big dip in quality 7.9/10

This was seriously disappointing. So much of it just completely overwhelmed me. It was so "busy" to the point that I became totally uninterested in what was going on halfway through. I think the performances are very good, but the directing here is the problem more than anything. It just comes across extremely proud of itself and kind of obnoxious, and way, way too much style for its own good. That ending is just proof of how the filmmakers seem to enjoy toying way too much with their audience, and I would usually give credit for that but it was honestly annoying. I don't think it's horrible though, thus a 5. I wonder how audiences will take to it.

After hearing unending hype for Dope coming out of Sundance, I got excited to see the movie and see if it justified the high price tag and big release the movie received. It didn't. SPOILERS I won't recap the plot but the movie didn't work for and not because of a culture disconnect. For the first 30 minutes, I was with the movie and there was actual tension that propelled the movie forward, enough where I thought it could be a crazy fun movie. For example: Malcolm being told to drop off the dope in the El Camino, then being warned the guy might kill him. Or Malcolm spending time with Lily and she ends up taking the dope. There was constantly new obstacles for him and could've ended up being a crazy After Hours type movie about trying to offload this drug supply, like Fix. However, the college recruiter who "coincidently" happened to be the kingpin was A) Awfully convenient for the plot and B) sucked all of the tension out of the movie. "Let's reschedule for a few weeks from now." The people chasing him are caught, there's no stakes left and the whole movie just becomes a bore. The rest of this movie becomes one big tutorial on how to open an online store with a ham-fisted speech at the very end, one criticizing Harvard and white people for asking a question none of them were asking. This movie comes right out of the wheelhouse of "Quirky Sundance Indie" that hits it big every year, a token movie accepted to show how "progressive" they are and widely distributed to show how "with it" studios are, even if the movie is a big miss. Sundance may jizz their pants at it but the whole movie is flaccid. Oh and that's not even getting into the fact that the movie is too long and full of annoying "quirky" characters like the wigger stoner and the Bitcoin purse maker, but I've already wasted enough time on this POS.

"A movie about nerds who love 90's hip-hop showing up a gangster? Yes, please!" was my initial reaction to this movie when I saw it on Netflix. So, last night, I stayed up and watched the movie. And...? Well, I think there's plenty of enjoyable things in this movie, but there's also just some dumb stuff that I can't get past that make this movie a little odd to me. First of all, I really like Malcolm. He is an enjoyable lead, relate-able and is well developed, not to mention that the actor gives a solid performance. It's easy to care about this character. I also really liked the set-up of the movie. It had an interesting idea and seemed to have a good way of carrying it out. Thirdly, I also loved the comedy. There are some legitimately funny moments in this movie. But...... Let's get into the bad. This is a bland looking movie. The cinematography is pretty standard, the set design in lack luster, and, outside of Malcolm's clothing, nothing really draws your eye to the screen. Just blah. The side characters. I have no connections to these side characters. Dicky I only remember because she was a lesbian. That's her only character trait. The other friend is also bland. He's so bland, I don't even remember his name. But the WORST was Malcolm's love interest. I don't remember her name, either. She just seems so self- centered, and all we know is that she dated this one guy and wants to go to Six Flags. Not enough to make me invested in her. Lastly, the film doesn't know when to end. Seriously. It has, like, 4 different endings. I thought it was over when Malcolm revealed his plan to a man that screwed him over. The music swelled, and the line was given a lot of emphasis. But, NOPE! There's another ending where Malcolm gives a big speech, the music swells, and then there's a line with a lot of focus on it. Is it over? Nope! Chuck Testa! Then there's a boring third ending with the a fore mentioned love interest that we don't care about. There was a fourth ending, and that one is the best. It just ends with a sort of cliff hanger, and I appreciated that ending. The first ending and last ending are just fine. But, they just had too much to cram in and it became too crowded. So, this film is pretty funny and mostly enjoyable, but I don't think I'm going to watch it again any time soon.

"Dope" revolves around the misadventures of a trio of band camp geeks who get caught up in a set of "hood" or should I say, "WOOD" circumstances that they must figure their way out of all while trying to stay alive and true to their square selves. The leader of this geek squad, Malcom is a 4.0 GPA, rock-star-in-the-making, high school senior with Ivy League dreams of attending Harvard University. Still, somehow I left the theater scratching my head and applauding. Like the film's Director, Rick Famuyiwa, I too was born in 1973 and bred in Inglewood, CA. In fact, I dedicated an entire chapter to my city in my coming of age memoir, "The Avocado Tree" released in 2012. So, as an author and screenwriter, my biggest problem with the film was its overuse of the word "nigga." Honestly, I don't think I've heard it used that much since NWA's tracks "Real Niggaz" and "Niggaz 4 Life" off the "EFFIL4ZAGIN" album. For those that may not know, Rick Famuyiwa is the same guy that wrote and directed the 1999 film "The Wood;" another a coming-of-age story about life in Inglewood, CA, which reminded me of my own childhood and still one of my favorites. But, with Pharrell Williams as executive producer on "Dope" and the likes of Forest Whitaker and P. Diddy (Sean Combs) also putting money behind it, I wondered if there was pressure from up high to literally have the word "nigga" in every scene of the movie…and I do mean every single scene. Was nobody just a little uncomfortable during the table reads? "Nigga" was used so much that the dialogue became inauthentic. Famuyiwa even had people saying "nigga" in scenes that really didn't call for it, like Kimberly Elise's scene on the bus. Did she really need to say it? I think not. It was overkill to say the least, even for a native of "The Wood" (the 'Aves' to be exact) like myself. I hope that those suburbanites that go and see this movie will not leave the theater believing that people from Inglewood have no alternative vernacular and that "nigga" is every other word in sentences we form. To put it simple, we don't talk like that! At least the majority of us don't. I would have liked to see a more mature and socially responsible Rick Famiyuwa as a director/screenwriter who's been in the game nearly two decades. I found it odd that the film's protagonist Malcom (a straight A student) was smart, unique and comfortable enough in his own skin to accept his own geekdom, all while others (thugs) referred to him as a "nigga," but somehow although Harvard bound, he wasn't smart or unique enough to NOT refer to himself as one. Had he chosen the latter, I would have had all the more respect for the kid. I mean this kid knew the definition of a "slippery slope," but didn't know the etymology of the "N" word? Or simply chose to ignore it. "COME ON SON!!!!" Overall, I liked the movie. I'm from the Wood and get it totally. I grew up in the 70's and 80's and kicked it all over LA as a kid from the Jungles to the Bottomz and beyond. "Dope" reminded me of a time when hip hop heads like myself were young and impressionable. Your style was either east coast (Rakim, Run-DMC, EPMD) who rocked sweat suits and fat gold chains. Or your style was west coast (NWA, Ice-T and Too Short) so you rocked Fila shirts, khakis, chucks and corduroy crocasacks. But, for cats like me who were somewhere in the middle, De La Soul appeared one day and we finally found our place in hip hop. Not gangster and not street hustler, but cool kids (like Malcolm) with backpacks; kids cool enough to rock a high top fade or gumby haircut with an African medallion, a rayon shirt and baggy jeans. We loved De La's "Plug Tunin'" and "Buddy," "Funkin Lessons" by X-Clan, Tribe's "Bonita Applebum," in addition to Pat Benatar's "We Are Young" and "West End Girls" by the Pet Shop Boys. That was "DOPE!"

I can honestly say that if you don't love it, you will at least like it. The movie places Malcolm (Shameik Moore), in an unreal situation that will have you thinking, "What would I really do in this type of situation?" If you catch the jokes which is filled with young humor; mixed in with some reminders of childhood memories,then you will very much appreciate more than 3/4's of the movie. During the movie, Malcolm and his two friends keep you optimistic that it all will workout in the end. They're different from their environment, they're very retro,and they have the personality that matches the old skool feel that they portray. The movie soundtrack gives you the same vibe. Every time the music cues in, you feel as though you are in the film with them. Now the movie may not be as good of the 8 that I gave it, but the soundtrack is surely worth an extra point or two. I must give A$AP Rocky a decent review. His role as Dom in the movie kept you wondering what was going on. Friend or Foe.. we may never really know. Maybe it's both depending on how you view the film. He makes you hate to hate him but makes it so easy to do so! This could be one of those summer sleeper movies (Movies that don't get the attention that it deserves). I am not sure if the trailers entices anyone to see the movie though. I figured what potential the movie could have, so I decided to see it. It had some good comedy, but I am not exactly sure if it hit as hard as it could. The bright side is that it did do a good job with at least keeping a grin on your face. You also left the movie kind of confused and wanting to know just a little more. Other than that, if you are someone who wanted to see the movie, you will most likely enjoy the movie. If not, you will find something to like about it, at least one or two characters. This movie is not for everyone, but I will recommend it to the family who can handle maturity and the graphic nature of the film together. After all of that, I will give the movie and 8 out of ten. Great job to Shameik Moore, Kiersey Clemons, Tony Revolori, and the rest of supporting cast!

To give you a little background on this film….. it was written and directed by a virtual unknown, Rick Famuyiwa, who apparently is a close acquaintance of the producer, Forest Whitaker. I'm not really sure how Pharrell Williams got involved as executive producer, but that's neither here nor there. I am just glad that more minorities are giving new and upcoming filmmakers a chance to show their craft. This film was nominated at the Cannes and Seattle film festival and actually won the award for editing at the Sundance film festival. I have to agree that the editing on this film was brilliantly done. When this film first started I was a little confused as to what decade I was in. There sat Malcolm (Shameik Moore) with a high-top fade sitting at the kitchen table. Then I spotted the cell phone (which is what confused me). The time period is cleared up rather quickly, so I was relieved by that. This story really is about a nerdy kid, Malcolm and his friends Jib (Tony Revolori) and Diggy (Kiersey Clemons) who find themselves in unfamiliar territory and have to adjust their way of thinking in order deal with the situations that arises. There are many issue that are addressed in this film and there was even one scene that kind of paid homage to The Breakfast Club (which they actually mentioned in the film). There was also a little flavor of Boyz in the Hood and Cooley High (I know I'm dating myself, but oh well). Along the way, Malcolm finds himself head over heels for Nakia (Zoe Kravitz) who is affiliated with a somewhat shady guy (okay, really shady guy) named Dom (Rakim Mayers). This is where the whole mess gets started. One of the main points of the film (there were many) is the kind of expectations that people have of individuals that come out of the hood. As someone who grew up in the hood and "across the tracks" I can attest to that. It was fortunate that I grew up in a military family and was not afraid to leave. Most of the folks I grew up with are either dead, in jail or still live there. I did not think that I would like this film as much as I did. I think that they wrapped it up nicely and with a bit of a twist. I highly recommend this film.