Proof that education is not always an easy goal for everyone.
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Dope is a new film coming out this Friday. It is a film that has more going on that it may at first seem. There is much more here than just a film about a smart kid who ends up in a bad situation. After the first few scenes the film goes in a new direction, one that audiences will not see coming. One thing for sure, this is a film that people must run out and see.
The basic plot is that Malcolm( Shameik Moore) is a geek. He is a straight A student, gets beat up at school sometimes and lives in his own world. He has two friends Diggy (Kiersey Clemons) and Jib (Tony Revolori) who share this world of a love for 90’s rap music and a dress style to match. They hang out a lot, and even have a punk rock band together. Malcolm lives in a house with a mom who works all the time and a dad who left when he was a little kid. He lives in a rough neighborhood, but has a lot of opportunities to be successful once he graduates from school. One night he gets invited to a party, and for a rare moment in his life Malcolm lets loose and has some fun.
The night seems to be one Malcolm will remember, but the next day he finds some stuff in his backpack. Turns out a guy at the party put a bunch of drugs in there, and he is in shock. He must not get caught with them or his life and dreams will be over. Why did this person put these substances in his backpack? What is he supposed to do with them? And will he be able to get through this experience in one piece?
The film takes a serious look at some issues that people want to ignore. One issue is the ignorance that education is available to all as long as you are willing to do the work to earn it. It is too easy to forget that there are people of all colors and nationalities out there in the world who really have to fight for the educational chances that most people tend to take for granted. Malcolm is a perfect example, It doesn’t matter how smart he is not even his counselor thinks he has any chance to get into Harvard although his grades should be more than enough to get him in. There can be a lot of reasons why the director may have chosen to put this in the film, but if you ask me it is to open peoples eyes to a reality that still is prevalent today.
The film also takes a hard look at racial stereotypes. Those who are big timers in this neighborhood of course have to be in gangs or drug dealers. These same people have to be smoking pot and carrying guns with little idea when they and those around them could be put in danger. Even the kids of one of the houses that are nice and wealthy still have to be a mess. The daughter is a drug addict and the son is kind of stupid and both of them don’t have jobs. It may seem shameful to show such this in a movie in 2015, but there is good reason for this. These stereotypes are too common in Hollywood, and to put them here may hopefully one day put them to rest for good.
But the greatest part of this film is towards the end. I will not go into too much detail, but suffice it to say these are where the real honest moments come to light. Malcolm has some of his best scenes here, and they are full of great truths and even have some good homages to those no longer with us. These final scenes moved me, and rocketed this film to a higher level.
It was one of the better films I have seen, and therefore gets 9/10. It has a great cast, a good plot, a nice soundtrack and clever characters that all together make a film that is fun and exciting from beginning right to the very end.
It won’t have something for everyone, but adults and even teens can learn some good things from it. If we lived in a world full of tolerance and opportunities for all films like this would not be needed, but it is yet to become a reality. There is a chance it might happen someday, but right now it is hard to say when. It is a good film to see with your friends, and people of the 90’s will enjoy each moment with Malcolm and his friends. The film has the potential to do well, but there is also a risk of it falling through the cracks. Go see this film, the lessons alone are worth it.
Check out the trailer here: