Review of Dope (2015) by Thequietgamer — 13 May 2016

Dope's story is about a nerd named Malcolm having a really crazy time in the hood. He gets mixed up with drugs, worries about getting into Harvard, and ultimately learns more about himself in the end. It's a different perspective than your typical coming of age film. One that uses it's setting and characters' races to add a bit of punch to the narrative. This leads to a final act that gets a little jumbled with getting it's points across.

Luckily everything up to that point makes for a hilarious, wild ride. Outside of all the laughs to be found, what makes it's story so compelling are it's young actors. The standout being Shameik Moore as the lead character Malcolm. He gives a fantastic, geeky performance that grows as the character does.

It's got action, drama, and plenty of laughs. It doesn't really dive into it's morals until right at the end and comes off a little heavy handed as a result, but even then the film can't really be dampened. Things get insane for Malcolm and his friends. It's their likability that keeps you just as invested in their struggles as well as their more hilarious encounters.

9.