WHY DOPE IS DOPE
Movie review by Sy`Quan Clark
JULY 29, 2015: Dope is a movie about three characters: Malcolm (Shameik Moore), his friends Jib (Tony Revolori) and Diggy (Kiersey Clemons) and their interesting struggles as high schools students living in the worst part of LA in Inglewood known as the “Bottoms”. This coming-of-age story focuses on the difficulties young adults go through such as graduation, drugs, peer pressure, bullying, racism, figuring out goals, responsibilities and taking action to achieve dreams. It opens up a new understanding of black young adults and how beloved interests like music, clothes, style, books and TV can become something hated and resented for no reason.
As a young adult, I have gotten a lot out this movie. I recommend you see it because it is an eye-opening experience for all ages and conveys a message to the viewer. For example the characters’ different struggles. Living in DC, I have witnessed drug use and how black teens are pressured into doing drugs and are deemed “uncool’ if they don’t. Along with that, there are kids who bully each other...whether it’s physical (like stealing your shoes), or emotional (like excluding others and making them feel like freaks for liking and having interests in things that aren’t “normal in the black community). This movie also tackles
racism showing the expectation for a young black male, what a black man can really achieve and how most people look down on black people. Being black means to fight for a place in this world. The last main struggle, and the most important obstacle that most of us goes through is taking responsibility. This struggle brings everything together. It shows how being an adult is taking responsibility for your actions, even when those actions are not really your fault. It is about how you can grow and evolve from a bad decision and better yourself.
Sy`Quan Clark is an 11th grade student at Friendship Collegiate Academy.