He Got Game (1998)

Touches You

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

A story that's too fascinating to pass by...

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

(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!

A basketball player's father (Denzel Washington) must try to convince him to go to a college so he can get a shorter sentence.I have mixed feelings about Spike Lee's movies. Some are pretty good, some are rather awful. Even "Do The Right Thing", his masterpiece, did not really impress me the way it apparently impressed many other people. But I have to say I generally enjoyed "He Got Game".I think what sold this was Denzel Washington. Obviously, he is one of the bet actors of this generation (possibly ever). He sells everything, and can even make bad movies seem good. And, overall, I think the story is rather strong. The idea of the kid being named "Jesus" seems like it was done just for the endless ways the dialogue can be wrapped around it, but at least they offer a plausible reason that he has that name.

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.

The most beautiful music ever used to portray a characters feelings and emotions. Other than the music the story, acting and cinematography are great, very well thought out and very original. Even though I'm not a professional film critic I would recommend this movie to anyone who thinks sport films have no actual plot other than a struggling team which triumphs in the end. I would also recommend this film to basketball fans because professional Basketball player Ray Allen who currently plays for the Seattle Supersonics is the 2nd main character "Jesus" in the movie.Fantastic film, please watch and post your review!!!