Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.5

Dope Blu-ray Movie Review

Good Golly Miss Molly! 'Dope' is a good high on Blu-ray.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman October 14, 2015

There may be more name recognition behind the scenes than on the screen, but one wouldn't know it from just watching the movie. Names like Pharrell Williams, Sean Combs, and Forest Whitaker may be prominently featured in the credits, yet Dope's main cast easily outshines the superstars who make it happen behind the scenes. Director Rick Famuyiwa's (Our Family Wedding) latest film takes a rather cliché sort of John Singleton or Spike Lee urban narrative, influxes some humor and heart, and makes the genre relevant again, this time without the sobering details overwhelming the story while championing a hopeful attitude for the future, finished off with plenty of honest humor. The movie isn't perfect -- its middle stretch feels like it's going in circles -- but it's an intoxicatingly fun film that finds a nearly perfect mixture of humor, heart, soul, dramatic purpose, and social commentary.

Malcolm (Shameik Moore) and his friends Jib (Tony Revolori) and Diggy (Kiersey Clemons) were born twenty years too late. They're living in the 90s and obsessed with the era's Hip Hop music and culture. They wear the clothes, sport the Walkman, and Malcolm's got a Fresh Prince haircut. They're in a punk band called "The Oreos" and are into "white people" things like earning good grades, Manga comics, and trash talking. They live a pretty sweet life, but that all changes when Malcolm finds himself accidentally mixed up with a drug dealer named Dom (A$AP Rocky). When the cops crash Dom's birthday party looking for drugs, Dom stashes them, and a gun, in Malcolm's bag. He unknowingly brings them to school. Desperate times call for desperate measures, particularly considering how badly Malcolm wants to get into Harvard. This could ruin everything, or it could be the beginning of something special. It's all in how they handle the dope that will determine where they go in life.

Dope seems as easy to explain as one, two, and three. Or so it seems. The film offers three definitions for the word that is its namesake. In a nutshell, they're "drugs," "a stupid person," and "something cool." Pretty much everything about the movie can be summarized by one definition or the other, and in some cases, two or even all three. About the only constant, however, is the first definition, and it's in how people respond to that first one that determines how close they get to being defined by two and/or three. Yet even when some smart people come up with a foolproof plan to deal with number one, they could easily fall into number two if they're not careful. Or everything could turn up threes.

Dope isn't just a numbers game. It's an enthusiastically fun movie that, much like its mix-and-match trio of lead characters, is best identified not by labels but rather by what it is, by its uniqueness and not how similar to or dissimilar from other movies it may be or how it falls into either the supposedly rigid or, more realistically, malleable definitions of its title. The movie shakes up formula and, thereby, shakes up expectations. Much like the characters seem out of time but not out of place, so too does the movie feel like its own little world, existing to be itself rather than as some dull conformist. The characters' obsession with the 90s doesn't add all that much to the actual plot, but it's more in that they exist as they do, that they thrive on their idiosyncrasies and their own personalities, that's much more important to the movie. They serve not so much as a mirror for it but instead as a template that says it's OK to be an individual, to dream big, and do whatever it takes to make it both in one's own little private world and in the greater universe everyone shares.

The film's story, even with many of its unique little takes, isn't all that original. But it's in the how's and why's and who's that make it work, with special emphasis on the latter. The three main characters are uniformly lovable. They're comfortable in their own skin yet dazed when pulled even the slightest bit out of their comfort zones: classics geeks to be sure. And the movie is really about how they respond to a sudden change in their lifestyle, about how they make use of who they are, what they know, and what they believe to win the day. The way they use the situation to their advantage -- Malcolm in particular in his quest to get into Harvard -- and maneuver through the minefields of life make the movie flow. Yet none of that would matter were the actors not enthusiastically on board and, more important, game for portraying the characters with the exactness necessary to pull it all off. Each of the mains -- Shameik Moore, Tony Revolori, and Kiersey Clemons -- is magnificent. They fall into character with amazing effortlessness, portraying their characters -- who are more complicated than outer appearances suggest yet who are relatable even through their oddities -- with a natural cadence in their highest highs and lowest lows alike. They remain on an even keel throughout, impressive considering the diverse range necessary, particularly from Shameik Moore whose character is all over the map in terms of his necessary outward actions but who is always the same Malcolm on the inside, where it really counts.

Dope Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Dope's 1080p transfer is, well, dope, used, of course in that third definition of the word. Despite a mild flatness evident as part of the digital source, the picture quality sparkles with pinpoint details and vibrant colors. The loud 90s clothing is a true highlight that sees various multicored shirts and support details explode off the screen in blast after blast of blissful nostalgia made all the more impressive with the format's ability to handle such a diverse palette with ease. Details are impressive, too, with the basic clothing and facial complexities leading the way but not in any way ignoring the complex, lived-in urban backgrounds, school interiors, and other locations seen throughout the movie. Every inch is meticulously presented and all help draw the viewer into the film's unique modern retro meets present day world. Black levels are impressively inky and deep. Flesh tones appear natural. Noise, banding, macroblocking, aliasing, and the like appear absent in any noticeable quantities. This is a terrific new release presentation from Universal.

Dope Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Dope's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack is a winner. Highlights include classic 90s Hip Hop beats that are terrifically accurate and sound better than ever (and certainly superior to cruddy tape and cheap walkman headphones everyone so fondly, and nostalgically, remembers). Definition is terrific, the low end is strong, and even the deliberate scratchiness heard on some of the songs is tight and infectious. Ambient effects are impressive, whether light outdoor details like a gentle breeze or passing traffic or a more aggressive din at a party. The film is dialogue intensive, however, and the spoken word enjoys natural center placement, lifelike articulation, and no problems with prioritization. The music is definitely the highlight, but the entire track impresses, even in its quieter moments.

Dope Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Dope contains two short featurettes. A voucher for a UV/iTunes digital copy and a DVD copy of the film are included with purchase.

• Dope Is Different (1080p, 3:21): Cast and crew offer a brief plot recap and share a few character qualities.
• Dope Music (1080p, 3:29): A brief look at 90s Hip Hop, the importance of music in the film, and Pharrell Williams' contributions to the soundtrack.
• Previews (1080p): Trailers for Straight Outta Compton, Furious 7, Pitch Perfect 2, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, The Fluffy Movie, A Haunted House, A Haunted House 2, and Chef.

Dope Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Dope doesn't scream "original" on the surface, but it's certainly no coming-of-age clone. The film is a joy thanks largely to its trio of lead performers who don't just seem to understand their characters but also inhabit them. Their effortless portrayals make the movie, and every scene is a pleasure, even most in a middle stretch that gets a little bogged down by a spinning circle of repetitiveness that spins the same idea in a few different directions. The movie is otherwise smart and a blast to watch. It's a film with as much depth as it has humor and heart, a perfect combination for a movie of this sort, particularly up against the grittier films that tend to define the modern day urban youth genre. Universal's Blu-ray release of Dope delivers tight video and audio. Supplements are unfortunately limited to a couple of throwaway featurettes. Highly recommended, even considering the hugely disappointing extras.