Malcolm, a geek with a minor obsession for 90s hip-hop, lives in The Bottoms, a tough neighborhood in Inglewood, CA filled with gang-bangers, drug-dealers, and lots of hopelessness. Malcolm is a good student who doesn't seem to quite fit in among his peers, many of which have already accepted their place in the tough neighborhood. Juggling his college applications, academic interviews, and the SATs, Malcolm finds his world flipped upside down when he accidentally comes into possession of a large quantity of drugs, sending him and his two best friends on an epic adventure. Rick Famuyiwa's Dope is a fast-paced, highly energized film that uses humor to create a satirical portrait of the difficulties of those individuals from poverty-stricken urban areas who simply want to make something for themselves. Dope is a wild ride full of twists and turns that is highly unpredictable, being a film that reminded me of Doug Liman's highly underrated Go, besides the lack of multiple perspectives and Dope's social commentary aspirations. Dope certainly captures the trouble facing inner city youths, the difficulties and barriers they face in escaping from their impoverished reality, but what I personally found the most compelling and interesting about Dope is its message of being independent and never settling for what is expected of you. Malcolm is a character who essentially shatters racial and class stereotypes, being a geek who gets good grades, loves hip hop, and comes from one of the roughest neighborhoods in Los Angeles. He defies these stereotypes by the end of the film, being proud of his individuality and self worth, and in doing so captures Dope's most interesting aspect- the power and dangerous nature of stereotypes and how it breeds prejudices. Part teenage comedy, part coming of age story, part social commentary, Dope doesn't always succeed at its wide array of intentions, but the film's breakneck speed and important message make it a film worth praising.
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AuthorLove of all things cinema brought me here. Archives
June 2023
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