Dope is a 2015 crime comedy-drama film directed by Rick Famuyiwa, starring Shameik Moore, Tony Revolori, Kiersey Clemons, Zoe Kravitz, Kimberly Elise, Chanel Iman, Tyga, Blake Anderson, and A$AP Rocky. The film follows a geek named Malcolm who’s surviving life in a tough neighborhood and after a chance invitation to an underground party leads him and his friends on an journey that will change their lives.

This story is a good combination of a lot of elements. It features drama, comedy, and thrills that make for an interesting and entertaining movie. There’s a bit of emotion that helps viewers relate to the story as well as character development. Two regrettable aspects of the film that would’ve driven a more dramatic flare is a bit more emphasis on the the dynamic between Malcolm and his mother. I would’ve liked to have seen how their relationship evolved over the course of the film. I would’ve liked to have had more emphasis on Malcolm’s relationship with Nakia but the film does a great job of establishing it by the end of the film. The last act of the film does feel different compared to the tone of the first half.

The last act of the film is a bit of a mixed bag. It is good but does take the film in a totally different direction which I’m not sure is a good thing. The whole Smith storyline is perhaps the piece that probably shouldn’t have been in the film. It is a nice twist but the execution of the introduction and resolve, I didn’t really buy it. The ending was okay. We get the impression that Malcolm does achieve his dreams but I did not like how it leaves off with his Malcolm’s relationship with Nakia. Still, it’s a pretty good coming-of-age story that works on a lot of levels. (3 out of 5)

Malcom, Jib, and Diggy are actually some pretty cool and well written characters with great chemistry together. The main characters are so interesting and likable, filled with rich qualities and have a great dynamic. If the film solely focused on their day-to-day activities it would’ve been just as much an enjoyable watch. The fact that they are 90s fans also makes them stand out compared to the other characters. I did like Nakia and I liked the relationship between her and Malcolm. I was a bit confused with her motivations because it isn’t clear: on one hand it seems like she’s used him and on the other it seems like she generally likes him.

There are some stand out characters and there are some I really didn’t care for. There’s this drug dealer named Dom who tells Malcolm to invite Nakia to his party and I’m like why? If Dom’s this big bad dude why not ask her himself? Also, I didn’t like Austin either. He forces Malcolm to sell the drugs. Why? Is that a requirement for a recommendation? He doesn’t know if this kid knows how to sell drugs. Why put him through it? For the most part, I did like the characters, especially our main leads. (4 out of 5)

Great performances by the main and cast. The lead actor, Shameik Moore, stands out as a brilliantly with his portrayal of Malcolm. I really liked his chemistry with Tony Revolori as Jib and Kiersey Clemons as Diggy. They did a great job as young actors and it shows how you can have young actors play strong roles without being gimmicky or over-the-top.

The supporting cast is just as fantastic. There are some really big names such as Kimberly Elise as Lisa, Zoe Kravitz as Nakia, Roger Guenveur Smith as Austin, Rick Fox as Blackmon. I did feel that Smith’s performance was a bit wooden and I wished we could’ve seen more from Elise. Not to mention Smith mumbled his entire lines so it was kind of hard to hear him anyways. We also have additional performances by Chanel Iman, Blake Anderson, ASAP Rocky, Lakeith Stanfield, and Tyga. The performances are good. (4 out of 5)

This is a pretty good looking movie and it does a good job of illustrating the life in the hood without being overbearing. I did like the clothing choices made for the leads. The cinematography is shot exceptionally well so the film stays appealing. The editing and transitions are good so it keeps the flow consistent. (3 out of 5)

The film features a terrific soundtrack consisting of some 90s classics that do make the film feel like a 90s movie. There are some notable songs like The World is Yours by Nas, Rebel Without a Pause by Public Enemy, Hip Hop Hooray by Naught by Nature, and even songs by Awreeoh. Got to give it to Germaine Franco for such a well put together and entertaining music track. (5 out of 5)

The overall value of the direction, narrative, and pacing is good. Famuyiwa is gifted with directing movies with great characters. Excellent examples of this are The Wood (1999), Brown Sugar (2002), and Our Family Wedding (2010) which does a great job of emphasizing various characters and their relationships which I think he did pull off in this movie.

I didn’t mind the writing which has depth and complexity but doesn’t come off as contrived or overly preachy. Also, the use of technology and social media was done rather well. The film does play on some great undertones such as racism and classicism. It also touches on its morals but not in a particularly good way and not consistently enough. However, its pacing, strong narrative, dialogue, and well-written characters make this a good movie. (3 out of 5)

In the end, Dope is rather an enjoyable film. It is fun with some well written characters, good performances, a badass 90s soundtrack and an interesting story despite the last act of the film. I would’ve liked to have given it a higher grade but Dope gets 4 out of 5. It is a good movie to watch and will probably appeal to those who like urban films with deep stories or coming-of-age films in the hood.