Rick Famuyiwa's compelling film, Dope, is an excellent film documenting the lives of three nerds living in Inglewood. It seems to be part of a broader shift in popular culture and the arts to reflect the diversity of the 'black' experience by focusing on the so-called 'ghetto nerds.' If there's anything we should thank Junot Diaz for, it should be for writing about a 'ghetto nerd' like Oscar in his famous novel, which I think has influenced discussions of culture and race among people of color.
The protagonist, Malcolm, lives with his single mother, is from a lower-class background, does not know his father (the father returned to Nigeria when Malcolm was still an infant or before he was born), is incredibly bright, loves 90s hip-hop and stereotypical 'white' things (skateboarding, manga, punk rock), and is bullied by the 'tough' guys, drug dealers, and gangs who dominate certain streets.
Determined to go to Harvard, the film's narrative covers a period in Malcolm's senior year as he's caught up in the drug dealing world he knows nothing about. Along with his two best friends, a Latino nerd and a lesbian nerd who dresses in 'men's' clothing (note how all three are 'ghetto nerds' and outcast or isolated from stereotypes associated with their racial identities), Malcolm discovers more than he ever expected as he struggles to escape getting killed, hurt, and take care of the 'dope' for a very important person.
In the hopes of not revealing too much of the plot, I do want to admit that I accurately inferred that the two wealthy siblings at the 'safehouse' the drug dealer sends Malcolm to are connected to another very important person for Malcolm's future. The film uses certain 'code words' that indicate this, which in itself is making it inherently critical of class or assumptions of racial solidarity.
In addition, the plot often advances through flashbacks and a non-linear format that can be a bit jarring. Some scenes seemed to have went on too long (for example, the series of scenes explaining the white hacker who helps the crew sell the drugs), suggesting a tighter editing job could have eliminated excess scenes or helped create a more coherent narrative. But who knows, maybe that's the point of the film? The chaotic, crazy series of events in Malcolm's life are a series of hurricanes, changing his perceptions of his community, his aspirations, and his relationships.
Nonetheless, there are problems with the unclear narration. For instance, the film does not do a great job demonstrating to the audience, before the 'villain' is told by Malcolm, how Malcolm has trapped him into helping him advance (again, I don't want to have too many spoilers in this short review...). Likewise, the scene with Malcolm breaking the fourth wall and reading/demonstrating (with Inglewood in the background) his application letter to Harvard was redundant. Why? It was redundant because everything Malcolm put in his letter was already indicated to the audience as we watched the film! If anything, it came off as preachy, or perhaps just another way for Malcolm to assert his 'arrogance' in way that makes him more respectable or deserving of that attitude.
One could also criticize the role of Zoe Kravitz. Her character is really just a minor romantic interest, and is omitted from most of the film. I am still unsure how her relationship with Malcolm is resolved by the film's conclusions, and, to be honest, it probably doesn't matter. Her character is a minor one for the most part, and lacking more depth. With a more carefully edited project and a few more scenes featuring her, this 'romance' element of the film would have been more successful. One could easily take issue with the portrayal of other women in this film, despite the strong lead playing Malcolm's friend, who chooses to side with Malcolm throughout. Another problematic woman character is Malcolm's mother, who barely appears in the movie except for an early scene and another important one during her bus route (she's the driver).
As for positive attributes, the film is gorgeous. Visually, it manages to capture so much of the landmarks, trees, and beauty of Inglewood, Los Angeles. The comedic element is never absent (Seven Bucks Coffee!), and one suspects there might be elements of 'hysterical realism' (yes, I know that's a loaded term) in various scenes in the film. The drug dealers are not one dimensional, but actually discuss foreign policy and the morality of drone strikes! The 'overuse' of nostalgic 1990s hip-hop actually matches themes of 'authenticity' and change in the community, as well as contributing to the plot or tone.
This film seems to explore the nuances of racial and cultural identity in a way that neither trivializes nor essentializes it. By the film's end, one sees how Malcolm has become the synthesis of the two broadly defined young adults of his community: the so-called 'thug' or drug dealer and the 'ghetto nerd' intellectual. Thus, in a very powerful, compelling, intriguing, visually breathtaking, and humorous tale of crime and drama, the Nigerian-American director's project dismantles many of the myths or stereotypes imposed on Inglewood by outsiders and residents.
Unfortunately, I have seen very few films that seem interested in exploring the lives of characters like Malcolm, few that are willing to tackle the kinds of issues raised here, without falling into dogmatic camps of identity politics. One hopes to see future films that are willing to explore race without falling back on stereotypes, which remains the most common depictions of African-Americans.
