Dope

After a police raid on an underground party, an African-American high school dweeb (Shameik Moore) finds himself in possession of a pistol and a fortune in Ecstasy—and in the cross hairs of the gangsters who want it back. Writer-director Rick Famuyiwa's film is certainly unique—by turns, gritty, funny, harrowing, suspenseful and unpredictable. It's a bit too loose-limbed and several minutes longer than it needs to be, but on balance it's an enjoyable mashup of genres—a sort of John Hughes-meets-Spike-Lee. Moore is a real discovery and, with luck, could become a major star; he gets able support from Tony Revolori and Kiersey Clemons as his geek pals, A$ap Rocky as a friendly drug dealer and Zoë Kravitz as a young lady in the 'hood whom the dealer sends to Moore, Myles Standish-style, to court on his behalf. J.L.