Topic > Dope: Challenging Stereotypes and Striving for Success

Directed by Rick Famuyiwa, the lives of three teenage friends living in an underprivileged neighborhood are explored as they strive for a better future. The film challenges stereotypes by portraying the main character, Malcolm, and his friends Diggy and Jib as intelligent, defiant non-white students with aspirations that go beyond their current circumstances. Malcolm dreams of attending Harvard and achieving success in his future career. However, his dreams are threatened when he discovers drugs in his school bag after attending a birthday party. The film encourages viewers to consider the choices individuals make and the potential consequences of those choices. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The film begins by defining the word “drug,” which has multiple meanings including a silly person, drugs, and something cool. This sets the stage for the range of emotions that will be evoked throughout the film. Malcolm, a shy and high-achieving student, is preparing his Harvard application and submits his essay on Ice Cube's "Today Was a Good Day" to his guidance counselor. The counselor suggests he write something more personal, but Malcolm insists on keeping his work creative. As the film progresses, viewers witness Malcolm's growth and changing perspectives on life and the application process. Malcolm and his friends face ridicule and humiliation at their predominantly black high school in Inglewood, California. Malcolm becomes infatuated with a girl named Nakia, but she dates Dom, a street gangster and drug dealer. Dom invites Malcolm to his birthday party and, despite the risks involved, Malcolm agrees to see Nakia again. However, the party ends in chaos, with Dom being arrested and Malcolm discovering drugs, a gun and a phone in his backpack the next day. From then on, Malcolm and his friends are determined to free themselves from drugs and save their lives and reputations. A notable scene in the film occurs when Malcolm interviews Harvard alumnus Austin Jacoby. To Malcolm's surprise, he learns that Jacoby, also known as AJ, is the intended recipient of the drugs. AJ denies any involvement in the drug incident, placing responsibility for fixing the situation on Malcolm. AJ informs Malcolm that if he doesn't sell the drugs before the next interview, he won't get a recommendation to Harvard. Malcolm seeks the help of a hacker named Will Sherwood to sell drugs online. They participate in a Google Science Fair project to gain access to the school lab and make transactions using the computer classroom, receiving payments in Bitcoin. Ultimately, they successfully sell all the drugs. When Malcolm confronts Jacoby again, he uses blackmail to secure his acceptance to Harvard. Ultimately, Malcolm revises his application essay to focus on two students: a successful band member who receives excellent grades and a student who must resort to unethical means to advance his career. money. He asks the questions: "Why do I want to go to Harvard? If I were white, would you ask this question?" These questions highlight the themes of racial discrimination and stereotypes present throughout the film. The director, Famuyiwa, aims to show that people of color are often forced to take alternative paths due to limited opportunities and social prejudices. The film challenges stereotypes by portraying Malcolm and his friends as geeks who aspire to attend Harvard. Gazi argues that labeling these characters as geeks calls into question their authenticity as Black individuals.....