He Got Game (1998)

Too many fans seem to be blown away

Purely Joyful Movie!

Mostly, the movie is committed to the value of a good time.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

My favorite basketball film! Denzel is amazing in "He Got Game". This film is gritty and raw. It feels quite real, partly because of the acting of Ray Allen and the fact that he is an actual athlete. Nothing is held back, and that's what makes the movie so beautiful.

Go ahead if you want to and read the over-long, overly loquacious thousand-word reviews if you have the patience and the time to waste -- bottom line in reviewing this movie can be concise as this: Good actors, emotionally well-intended, but all for naught due to the initial very contrived premise that puts the plot in motion, which of course as so contrived undermines the overall credibility of the story.

(Flash Review)Would you lend a hand to your father after he has been imprisoned for doing something terrible to your mother? What would it take to forgive him? These are some of the questions raised in this film. The father's objective is made clear from the start as his son, a high school basketball phenom is being recruited by various colleges to commit to their school and he hasn't spoken to his father since he was a kid. The father must persuade him to play for a specific school to help reduce his prison sentence. The film is very well acted with a wide range of emotions displayed. Even by Ray Allen who is known more for draining buckets vs his acting prowess. There are some very smart edits, transitions and the music used is very original for an urban-centered film; it was scored by Aaron Copland!

Denzel Washington and writer-director Spike Lee team for the third time with this contemporary basketball drama focusing on a promising athlete, the son of a convict-father entitled,He Got Game.It is sports-drama film written and directed Lee. It stars Washington as Jake Shuttlesworth, a prison inmate convicted for killing his wife. The father of the top- ranked basketball prospect in the country, Jesus Shuttlesworth,played by NBA star Ray Allen, Jake is released on parole for a week by the state's governor in order to persuade his son to play for the governor's alma mater in exchange for a heavily-reduced prison sentence.The film also features Milla Jovovich,John Turturro,Rosario Dawson and Jim Brown with Ned Beatty and John Turturro.Jake Shuttlesworth has been in prison for six years when tough prison- warden Wyatt tells him that he's getting a temporary parole with the promise of a commuted sentence. However, there's a trade-off -- Jake must talk his son, Jesus Shuttlesworth, the top-ranked high-school basketball player in the country, into signing with the governor's alma mater, Big State. A flashback makes it clear that Jesus' mother was accidentally killed by Jake during a violent family fight. After Jake went to prison, the resentful Jesus was left alone to raise his sister Mary. Now several colleges are offering Jesus scholarships, and montages satirize the manner in which young athletes are wooed by educators and coaches across the country. However, Jake will soon be back behind bars if he can't get Jesus to sign with Big State within the week. Meanwhile, the greed of other family members begins to surface.The movie presents a realistic view on how athletes particularly basketball players are recruited by universities in their rosters.Aside from that,it also presents a vibrantly colorful father-son melodrama that would touch the viewers.Lee provides an artsy color film feature that was aided by great music from Aaron Copeland and Public Enemy.The story is moving especially when it becomes personal on both Jake and Jesus' part.The performances of Denzel Washington and Ray Allen,in his film debut,are also worthy to be mentioned. Overall,it may not be a great film but it is still worth your time especially for people who loves basketball.