Quickie Review:
Life in Inglewood is tough, but for Malcolm (Shameik Moore), a geek obsessed with 90s hip-hop it's even tougher. After visiting an underground party hosted by gangsters, Malcolm crosses upon an unwanted package. This leads him and his friends on a dangerous adventure filled with oddball strangers. Dope is a witty comedy the breaks down the expected stereotypes. The trio of main actors have a natural chemistry of close knit high school friends, from loyalty to friendly ridicule. This is an adventure that has many laugh-out-loud moments to enjoy.
Full Review:
I am not well aware of the cast and director. However, trailer sold me on an energetic comedy that explored the issues of racism. Happy to say it delivered on my expectations.
I talk a lot about the importance of actor chemistry in my reviews, and this movie is a great example of doing that right. Shameik Moore, Kiersey Clemons, and Tony Revolori all worked really well together. With already a smart script the comedic timing of the cast is what brought the fun in the movie. Just the way in which they interact you can tell how strong their friendship is, and so you are rooting for them through all the shenanigans. Especially Shameik Moore surprised me on how well he portrayed a geek. He never overplays the stereotype of being a nerd, it's all in the subtle things that he does that we see him as a misfit. As for the shenanigans the gang goes through, at times it gets non-sensical, and in that non-sense hilarity ensues. In many ways it reminded me of Superbad, but a little darker. Additionally the soundtrack of the movie was excellent, it kept up the energetic flow of the movie.
The faults of the movie are small but apparent. A lot of the movie is dependent on long scenes of dialogue, but this doesn't always fit well with the tone of the film. One example that stands out is the meeting with the drug-dealer. To show how creepy that character is the actor overacts and it pulled me out of the movie. So there are few moments where the supporting cast overact which diminishes the clever tone of the movie. Also Dope has some mixed messaging in terms of how success should be achieved. I'd go into more detail but that'd involve some spoilers.
Overall, Dope is well-directed and -acted film that covers issues of discrimination and stereotypes in a sharp comedic way. Shameik Moore was the stand-out performance of the movie, and I hope to see him in more films in the future. If you are looking for a dark-comedy with colourful characters, then look no further than this adventure.
Life in Inglewood is tough, but for Malcolm (Shameik Moore), a geek obsessed with 90s hip-hop it's even tougher. After visiting an underground party hosted by gangsters, Malcolm crosses upon an unwanted package. This leads him and his friends on a dangerous adventure filled with oddball strangers. Dope is a witty comedy the breaks down the expected stereotypes. The trio of main actors have a natural chemistry of close knit high school friends, from loyalty to friendly ridicule. This is an adventure that has many laugh-out-loud moments to enjoy.
Full Review:
I am not well aware of the cast and director. However, trailer sold me on an energetic comedy that explored the issues of racism. Happy to say it delivered on my expectations.
I talk a lot about the importance of actor chemistry in my reviews, and this movie is a great example of doing that right. Shameik Moore, Kiersey Clemons, and Tony Revolori all worked really well together. With already a smart script the comedic timing of the cast is what brought the fun in the movie. Just the way in which they interact you can tell how strong their friendship is, and so you are rooting for them through all the shenanigans. Especially Shameik Moore surprised me on how well he portrayed a geek. He never overplays the stereotype of being a nerd, it's all in the subtle things that he does that we see him as a misfit. As for the shenanigans the gang goes through, at times it gets non-sensical, and in that non-sense hilarity ensues. In many ways it reminded me of Superbad, but a little darker. Additionally the soundtrack of the movie was excellent, it kept up the energetic flow of the movie.
The faults of the movie are small but apparent. A lot of the movie is dependent on long scenes of dialogue, but this doesn't always fit well with the tone of the film. One example that stands out is the meeting with the drug-dealer. To show how creepy that character is the actor overacts and it pulled me out of the movie. So there are few moments where the supporting cast overact which diminishes the clever tone of the movie. Also Dope has some mixed messaging in terms of how success should be achieved. I'd go into more detail but that'd involve some spoilers.
Overall, Dope is well-directed and -acted film that covers issues of discrimination and stereotypes in a sharp comedic way. Shameik Moore was the stand-out performance of the movie, and I hope to see him in more films in the future. If you are looking for a dark-comedy with colourful characters, then look no further than this adventure.