On February 10, Dope became available to watch on Netflix. My interest was piqued by the trailers when it came out last summer, but I never got the chance to see it. So when it became available for streaming I had to give it a go.
I could not be more satisfied with my decision. From the beginning, Dope had me hooked. The trailers are deceptive- it looks like a light hearted period romp, something like like Superbad or American Pie. What you're actually getting is a movie closer to Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World. Dope isn't afraid to be experimental in both plot and its execution. The main character, Malcolm, isn't actually a 90's kid. The movie takes place in the present and Malcolm and his friends are just obsessed with 90's hip-hop culture.
Modern technology is a major theme of this movie. It hones in specifically on how much the internet has influenced every facet of modern life ranging from the spread of information all the way to the drug trade. It's shot in such a way that viral videos resulting from the characters actions are presented to the viewers as a record of their antics.
Dope takes the coming of age story to the next level, showing the anxiety of being a teenager facing an amoral world and the subsequent loss of innocence. Malcolm not only has to try to get into college, he also needs to face down drug dealers whose tendrils of influence invade Malcolm's life to a frightening degree.
Even beyond the fantastic plot, this movie is full of cameos including Blake Anderson, A$AP Rocky, and Tyga. Pharrell Williams and Sean Combs both had producer credits. Pharrell also wrote 4 original songs for the film and they're all amazing. Basically, there's a lot of talent backing this movie and it shows.
I loved Dope and I'm probably going to watch it again very soon. Can't recommend it highly enough. Bump this one up to the top of the queue.