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Dope
Stars: Shameik Moore, Tony Revolori, Kiersey Clemons, Kimberley Elise, Zoe Kravitz, Forest Whitaker (voice)
Director: Rick Famuyiwa
A trio of geeks, led by Malcolm (Moore), a straight-A student with a Bart Simpson haircut who wants to go to Harvard, find themselves with a backpack full of dope, and somehow make themselves a fortune as drug dealers.
This is the kind of film where the characters are always asking 'Know what I'm sayin', bro?', when they're not using the F-word, and is the basis for what might be an average teenage comedy, were it not for the facts that the narrative is completely incoherent, the villains are milk-and-water menaces, the actors, all jerks and grimaces, emote as if on speed, and the director seems to have no idea how to make a film.
The results are almost unbearable, and seem agonisingly longer than the actual runtime. The music is great and absolutely the only reason to give this horrific mess even one star.
David Quinlan
USA 2015. UK Distributor: Sony (Stage 6). Technicolor.
103 minutes. Not widescreen. UK certificate: 15.
Guidance ratings (out of 3): Sex/nudity 1, Violence/Horror 1, Drugs 3, Swearing 3.
Review date: 30 Aug 2015