On June 4, Angela Yee and Mack Wilds hosted a New York screening of the highly anticipated film “Dope.” The audience left the theater in an uproar of cheers and thunderous applause.
Dope explores the dangers that present when three retro enthusiast nerds get tangled in the harsh drug world in the depths of California’s grittiest hood. Finishing their senior year was all peachy until Malcolm (played by Shameik Moore) along with his two best friends Diggy (Kiersey Clemons) and Jib (Tony Revolori) are burdened with the task of selling several kilos of ecstasy! The trio went from working on their band Awreeoh’s next big hit to thriving in the midst of a culture they routinely try to avoid to save their lives. There is nothing street about the swagged out nerds that are in to “white sh*t” like Donald Glover. The twisted journey begins when neighborhood dope man Dom (played by Hip-Hop star A$AP Rocky) invites Malcolm to his birthday party. Malcolm’s relentless pursuit of the round the way bombshell Nakia (Zoe Kravitz) leaves him blinded by infatuation with a back-pack full of more than just his Harvard college application.
Director Rick Famuyiwa (who fans may know from The Wood and Brown Sugar) strikes again! Notorious for his previous classic trailing a trios captivating journey in The Wood, Famuyiwa finds a way to innovate a fresh tale encompassing a new group of friends. His talents served in conjunction with producer Forest Whitaker who also acts as the films narrator and executive producers Pharrell Williams and P. Diddy. The entire cast, which also includes Chanel Iman and Quincy is stellar. The film is hilarious and definitely deserving of all the hype it has received. In theaters June 19, Dope is a must-see and sure to be an instant fan favorite. Combing an homage to old-school flavor with today’s tech gizmos, the movie is a seamless blend of pure entertainment!
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-Toyibat Oridami
