[Red Band Trailer] DOPE (NSFW)
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Following yesterday's trailer release for Me and Earl and the Dying Girl comes the trailer for another breakout Sundance 2015 hit, DOPE. The film, which received multiple offers following its Sundance premiere, stars newcomer Shameik Moore as Malcolm, a geek living in Inglewood who doesn't quite fit in with the rest of the neighborhood. In fact, he and his friends Jib (The Grand Budapest Hotel's Tony Revolori) and Diggy (Transparent's Kiersey Clemons) are constantly picked on and bullied for their interests, such as punk rock, old school hip hop, BMX, and their desires to get into good colleges. When local drug dealer Dom (A$AP Rocky) gets Malcolm to convince hottie Nakia (Zoe Kravitz) to come to his party, the crew find themselves at the cusp of becoming "dope." However, circumstances surrounding the party result in Malcolm getting entangled in a drug deal that could jeopardize their futures.
DOPE had mainstream appeal from the get-go with a star-studded cast that also includes Workaholics' Blake Anderson, Tyga, and Forest Whitaker as the narrator (who also served as one of the film's producers), with Puff Daddy and Pharrell executive producing, and a soundtrack that features four exclusive new tracks from the latter. Beyond the star appeal, the critical response to the film was actually positive thanks to writer/director Rick Famuyiwa's depictions of racial and character diversity in a natural, entertaining way.
DOPE is coming to theaters on June 19th.
[Trailer] DOPE
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DOPE was one of the biggest hits out of Sundance this year, receiving offers from at least six production companies (eventually receiving domestic and international distribution from Open Road Films and Sony, respectively). With a cast that features names like Zoe Kravitz, A$AP Rocky, Casey Veggies, Tyga, Vince Staples, Rick Fox, and more, DOPE was almost guaranteed to find distribution from the festival circuit. It also didn't hurt that Forest Whitaker, Pharrell, and Puff Daddy also had their hand in producing the film, as well.
However, names are one thing - what matters most is the actual film itself. If early reviews from Sundance are any indication, DOPE more than lives up to its celebrity-filled cast. Shameik Moore stars as Malcolm, a '90s hip hop geek and singer for a high school punk band. While the straight-A student is typically perceived as a geek at his Los Angeles high school, he finds himself attaining "dope" status after attending an underground party. However, at what lengths will he go to becoming dope, especially if some of those lengths ultimately change who he is?
DOPE will be in theaters on June 19th.