“Dope” is a comedic drama involving the nerdy Malcolm Adekanbi (Shameik Moore) and his two friends, Jib (Tony Revolori) and Dig (Kiersey Clemons). Despite residing in “the bottoms” of Inglewood, California, they tend to stay out of trouble by romanticizing 90’s culture, playing in a punk rock band, skateboarding and getting straight As.

Their lives get flipped after attending a party resulting in them having to sell drugs.

The movie Dope immediately sounded like a cliché BET movie, where the main character sells drugs to support his family and make a living. They got half of the cliché right. We instead see a relatable character with much more personality and goals for the future. Director Rick Famuyiwa gave a unique insight to what life is and could be like for many impoverished teens. The atmosphere was real; he isn’t constantly involved in trouble, but trouble is always around or on the corner.

The musical choice was retro and refreshing bringing the intentional 90’s ‘feel good’ emotions, each song was appropriate for each scene including Nas’s infamous  “The World is Yours” which definitely set the tone for the entire movie.

The film offers minor character development in its short 103 minutes, however the talented cast including rapper Tyga and A$AP Rocky definitely saved any possible disappointment. With its $7 million budget, it definitely gave life to California in a realistic feel with its insertion of memes and it’s accurate drug culture among young adults.