The concept for a film about Los Angeles Gen Y kids centered around a soundtrack of all-’90s hip hop might be confusing – if not a little overcooked – and Dope does get off to a rocky start.
The first ten minutes shoehorn bad narration (by Forest Whitaker) with any excuse to play ’90s jams, alongside kitschy pop culture references. These kids have Walkmans (which they actually use). They buy vinyl. They play Game Boys. They ride BMXs. They rock fluoro shirts, acid-wash and flat tops. iPhones are the only giveaway that this film isn’t actually set in the ’90s, and it takes a few double takes in the first act to realise what era we’re in, and which one we’re referencing here.
However, once the narration slows, the plot kicks in and the culture references gladly wane, Dope becomes a funny and somewhat quirky look at modern gangland LA. Malcolm (Shameik Moore) is a straight-A student in a normal school in Inglewood, trying to get ahead and get that spot at Harvard. He comes across happy-go-lucky local dealer Dom (A$AP Rocky), who for some reason takes a shining to him as his messenger in trying to woo Nakia (Zoë Kravitz). Through a course of events, and a nightclub shootout, Malcolm discovers a pile of drugs stashed in his school bag, and has to navigate an ugly world of characters to get them out of his life while not getting killed.
It’s not all Boyz N’ Tha Hood here, however. Sure, school has a metal detector and gangs steal sneakers and sell drugs, but the film reflects this as simply a part of suburbia, rather than focusing on it. As we follow Malcolm, we see he has the aspirations of any, as well as the talents, and the story becomes about his journey as a bright kid turning a bad world against itself – albeit with the use of the dark web.
Moore is excellent in his portrayal as an equally shy, awkward, yet cunning and resourceful Malcolm. The laughs are quick and fast, as is the pace, and the film is colourful and brash without being too over-the-top. It remains to be seen if this will become a cult classic, but with a huge list of producers (Whitaker, Pharrell and Sean Combs make the list), and pointless ’90s references aside, it has the chops to become one in the right hands.
4/5 stars
Dope opens in cinemas on Thursday August 20.
