Dope

Director Rick Famuyiwa's Sundance hit Dope is a coming-of-age comedy that's simultaneously clever, edgy, touching, and thought-provoking. Produced by Forest Whitaker (who also doubles as narrator) and Pharrell Williams (who also provided the original music), Dope is about a group that's largely without a voice in popular culture -- working-class African-American (or other minority) geeks who struggle to fit in and must always be aware of their surroundings. Moore gives a tour-de-force performance as young Malcolm, who desperately wants out of The Bottoms and into the kind of future he believes an Ivy League education can provide.

Equal parts crime caper, coming-of-age tale, and friendship comedy, Dope is brimming with energized performances, a perfectly complementary soundtrack, and lots of powerful social commentary. The philosophizing is never preachy; it's spot-on and occasionally harsh -- where you come from matters, and the color of your skin definitely matters. Malcolm, Jib, and Diggy can't afford to make mistakes, because one wrong turn, one extra pause could cost them everything. Despite its heavy themes, Dope is also hilarious, offering a biting reflection of youth culture's dependence on social media, where drugged out kids (and adults) will share anything and everything. This story comes down to one stereotype-defying boy who's basically a genius but who -- because of where he's from and what he looks like -- could just as easily end up in prison as Harvard Yard. And that's worth unpacking and discussing -- after you've laughed and laughed and laughed some more.