compelling basketball movie from Spike Lee

Rating: 8/10 (1 August 2000)

Spike Lee presents us with another compelling and well-made film. This time, the subject is college basketball. Jesus Shuttlesworth, played by NBA star Ray Allen, is a top high school prospect. He is being pursued by alot of top colleges. The governor is an graduate of Big State and offers Jesus's father Jake (Denzel Washington) an early parole if he can get his son to commit to Big State. Jake is in jail for killing Jesus's mom and their relationship is understandably strained and tense. The scenes with Allen and Washington are convincing and intense. The basketball scenes played by Allen are great. He really does have game! Adding to the realism, many top college coaches and NBA stars like Dean Smith and Scottie Pippen appear as themselves in an ESPN report about Jesus.
Everyone wants a piece of Jesus, whether it's his father, the colleges recruiting him, his uncle who helped raise him or even his girlfriend (the sexy Rosario Dawson). They all want something from him, either his presence on their team or a part of the wealth he'll get one day in the NBA. Jake wants not only an early release, but to rebuild his relationship with his son.
Lee's script is well-written and his direction strong, as usual. The tension between father and son and Jake's relationship with the hooker he meets (Milla Jovovich) are the high points of the film. The song in the closing credits even manages to bring together Public Enemy and Stephen Stills! 8 out of 10