Given director Spike Lee's obvious love of basketball, it was inevitable that he would make a movie about the sport. What wasn't so obvious is that it would result in probably his most accessible and commercial film to date.
Lee's passion for roundball spills out all over "He Got Game," a highly flawed but entertaining drama that is surely the best feature film he's made since "Malcolm X."
Freed from the heavy-handed political statements that have marred Lee's later-period works (which sometimes verged on racist sentiment), his storytelling is very assured and steady here. But make no mistake, this is still Spike Lee we're talking about, so "He Got Game" has its share of self-indulgent moments.
And be warned, the movie is also very R-rated, with heavy use of profanities and racial slurs, as well as some exploitational sex scenes that seem like attempts to spice things up.
Though the star is obviously Denzel Washington, who's as good as ever, the real revelation in the film is newcomer Ray Allen, from the NBA Milwaukee Bucks. Allen plays Jesus Shuttlesworth, a high-school basketball phenom who is coveted by all the major universities.
But notoriety has it price, and everyone wants to have their say in his choice of college, including his estranged father, Jake (Washington).
A convicted murderer, Jake has been temporarily "paroled" and promised leniency if he can persuade Jesus to attend Big State, the alma mater of the governor. The catch is, he has a week to do it — not an easy task because the teen is still harboring deep resentment for his father, who was convicted for killing Jesus' mother.
There are some very provocative ideas here, but some of them are given short shrift because there are so many characters and subplots. Among the most extraneous scenes are the ones involving Jake's brief romance with a young prostitute (Milla Jovovich, from "The Fifth Element").
Frankly, some judicious pruning could have helped greatly (it's 130 minutes long, but it would have made a much better 90-minute movie).
And then there's the ridiculous pairing of musical styles. The score includes Aaron Copland compositions, as well as original numbers by rappers Public Enemy. Take a guess as to which sound more appropriate.
But it's hard to quibble with the strong performances from the two male leads — Allen has a great on-screen presence — and the powerful ending. The veritable smorgasbord of scene-stealing supporting turns (especially John Turturro, playing an insincere college coach trying to recruit Jesus) and cameo appearances from NBA greats like Michael Jordan certainly don't hurt.
"He Got Game" is rated R for profanity, vulgar sexual references, simulated sex, female nudity, racial epithets, violent fistfighting and drug use.