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DOPE
With Shameik Moore, Tony Revolori, Kiersey Clemons, Rock Fox, Blake Anderson, Zoe Kravitz
Written & Directed by Rick Famuyiwa
A young black high school geek obsessed with '90s Hip-Hop tries to navigate his way through high school with his two friends (from keeping up his grades to continue his studies after school and avoiding the bad-seed pitfalls of his environment, from bullies to drug dealers).
One day after being chased down by his tormentors, he has to pick one of two roads as a means of escape - He chooses the wrong one. Here he is confronted by a drug dealer who takes a shine to him. He gets sent to & from delivering messages to a fly girl (Kravitz), inviting her to a club party. Naturally he's smitten by her and goes to the party in hopes of seeing her again. But a police raid at the club results in chaos - in the process, his backpack becomes the depository for a large sum of drugs and a gun! (the title's double meaning coming into play). He discovers this at school and flips out. The mission begins to get this dangerous contraband off his hands, but landing it in the possession of its 'rightful' owners prove problematic (as a few people are after it). Amid this he has to pitch to get into university.
Comedic moments lighten what could be a heavy subject. The impact of the movie is much different due to its humour - If it was a serious drama it could've come across as a Boyz 'N The 'Hood update.
Films like these are important to keep alive awareness of segments of our world culture.
Some may disagree, but in many ways this is a modern inner-city take on Tom Cruise's Risky Business (a young inventive man gunning to get into a good university, but dabbling in illegal business).
4 / B
- Paul Blom
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