Caught the indie film Dope which I mainly knew about because it had a crazy innovative teaser trailer that suggested it was set in the 90s and had something to do with video games and hip hop. Turns out, it’s a modern movie about three geeky black kids in LA who love 90s hip hop and modern white people stuff (their words, not mine). They go to a bad school and have to maneuver their world as geeks, dealing with jocks and gangstas.

It’s an interesting film with a ton of story and story tones or types. Some of it feels like an updated John Hughes movie, parts are like Goonies or a Spielberg 80s kids film, and other parts feel like Boyz ‘n The Hood. It’s a fun and funny movie and then turns more serious before settling into a message film about a smart black kid trying to get into college. It does this in such a subtle way that I gotta give it credit for a smart (non-preachy) screenplay.

I’m only slightly disappointed that it spends a lot of time with drug dealing and stereotypical “black” movie issues. That said, it managed to twist it into something unique since these are geeky kids in those circumstances.

Good movie, if you can find it. Great soundtrack too.

Score: 86