Entertaining, even if it is total FANTASY!

Rating: 5/10 (14 April 2007)

How many bookies are out there who will take a word of mouth bet from somebody who owes? For that matter, how many gambling idiots have thugs after them?--we will beat you up an kill you if you don't pay us now-- This movie is entertaining and does touch on some important subjects, but the clichés just don't stop. Innocent people die frequently in lower income neighborhoods from stray bullets that are from gang activity. It would have made some sense for us to see more police in the movie. But I guess that would take away from the plot. Plot?....A loser white guy is called on to help the inner-city black kids in South Chicago's projects? I guess Hollywood believes there's incredible funding for the children in America's ghettos. OK Reeves, get to work dude, like, these kids in da hood are like, counting on you. Now Ms Lane is still insanely pretty, but her placement in the movie is hard to believe. That's not to say that there are no white people working with black kids in the inner-city, but think about it. I've worked in an inner-city school in California and just helping the kids during the school day was a challenge. For outside of school activities, ridiculous amounts of preparation had to be worked on. Now, maybe Chicago doesn't have as many communication problems that California does with non-English speaking parents, but just being able to talk with parents who speak English takes time and often doesn't go well. Try getting the older daughter, with a mother who works three jobs, to set up a time, for the teacher, or coach in this case, to talk with the mother about her 11 year old son's need to start paying attention. This movie doesn't even go near subjects like that. I not too put off by Keanu's acting ability in this movie, though I still think he's a one-trick pony, and there were no tricks in this script for him to do. He still seems likable. But, a white guy who's a ticket scalping, gambling loser coaching a little league team of poor black kids in the projects....??? I guess Hollywood still thinks that the lives of poor black kids in the inner-cities can only be improved with help from caring white people (even if these are white people with shady backgrounds). There's no need to mention that just shopping for food in the low-income communities is sometimes impossible. Maybe an already made sandwich from the corner liquor store will satisfy the kids hunger, but the city bus line to that one suburban-like big grocery store in the neighborhood one and a half miles away has been canceled and Mama's going to have to figure out another way to get some real food that's affordable. I'm sorry, but although the movie hits some subjects that need to be discussed in our society, the script needs some major work. Why can't these ultra-rich studio executives consider getting input from the social workers in the inner-city, some active residents, teachers, youths, some freshly out of jail young men who are working on cleaning themselves up, etc. Sickeningly rich movie producers just have no idea what the real world is like for most working people. But, this movie is still fun to watch when I've got nothing else to do.