Rebound: The Legend of Earl 'The Goat' Manigault (1996)

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When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.

The story-telling is good with flashbacks.The film is both funny and heartbreaking. You smile in a scene and get a soulcrushing revelation in the next.

This movie I saw once but often think about the legend of "The Goat." I don't remember specific scenes particularly but I oft' think about this film. I'm not sure even when or even if I meant to see this. However thinking any film that has "The Goat" in the title had to be good. The absolute brilliant portrayal by Don Cheadle (who was relatively unknown then) and the general true story about this should have been great player is something I often think about. Just how we often think about how much better people were when they are gone is how I think about this film. I'm almost afraid to watch it now as I have seen twice as many movies now then I did then and I have such a reverence for it that there is no way it is as good as I remember. Just as I thought "The Karate Kid" was so great when it came out and having gotten my brown belt in Koden Kan and watching it as an adult and laughing at how absolutely bad the karate is. I don't know if I should watch it having studied film. Granted I'm no Roger Ebert (the only real movie reviewer that counts, Roeper do you know what makes a good film!!! Earl Dittman *cough* a guy that thinks anything on film is the best thing he's ever seen, Shame on you studios for thinking we will see things like "Daddy Day Camp!" Cuba Gooding Jr. you won an Oscar! What happened?) Sorry back to the movie If you want to see a movie no one has ever heard of and is a sad story but wished they could have seen this guy dunk on 12 foot rim (I think that is how high the top of the backboard is) how cool would that have been to see? Anyway kids don't do drugs, and maybe someday we could see some one like this someday. I particularly remember Kareem Abdul-Jabbar when asked after all the players he played against and with saying that "The Goat" was the toughest player he had ever played against. I just remember waiting all basketball season long to see Larry Bird and the Celtics play Magic Johnson & Kareem & the Lakers. Well just see this flick. If it is as good as remember just give this flick a try.

Don Cheadle is amazing in this movie. His reaction to his friend's overdose is a truly astonishing piece of acting. I don't know if he won any awards for this role, but he should have. If you have not seen this flick, you must.

Not really a basketball film - most of the action is pretty poor, but the film is a message of being disiplined and not succumbing to the things that can cause you top loose your dreams. Specifically abound the NBA but it does apply generally. It is inspiring to see "the goat" as a junkie and a failure but to rise up again as far as he could. Don Cheadle is excellent as ever - in fact most of the cast is. But please! Eric la Salle is truely awful, haming up his character, including sub-plots that means his character looses his hands, plays ball and visibly suffers the effects of drugs - all of which he does badly and it's almost like he set it up for him to "show-piece" his hammy acting. Apart from him it's a good TV movie and the story makes up for the lower production values.

Have you ever done a slam-dunk? Did you feel this triumph over the gravitation, height and fear? There are or there were persons who do or did it better. People will always remember players like Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Julius Irving, Magic Johnson. Will they remember the most celebrated streetball player Earl 'Goat' Manigault who has never played in NBA? This movie shows Earl Manigault not just as an idolized legend, but a person with his weakness, fear and shame. Jumping up and falling down are the opposite sides of the story about complicated Earl's life. This is at least fair that 'Rebound' has been developed when Earl 'Goat' Manigault was alive. Everybody has his bottom line, but there are few persons who can get through it and find the way out. And Earl was the one of them. Perfect movie for those who like basketball and not just it... Rating: 10 of 10.