KellenKing
My favorite basketball film! Denzel is amazing in "He Got Game". This film is gritty and raw. It feels quite real, partly because of the acting of Ray Allen and the fact that he is an actual athlete. Nothing is held back, and that's what makes the movie so beautiful.
gavin6942
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.
SnoopyStyle
Jake Shuttlesworth (Denzel Washington) has 15 more years to serve in prison. The warden (Ned Beatty) has an offer for him. The governor wants Jake's son Jesus Shuttlesworth (Ray Allen) to sign with his alta mater Big State. Jesus is arguably the highest rated high school athlete and there is only one week before the signing deadline. Jake fakes a illness and the warden sneaks him out with parole officers Spivey (Jim Brown) and Crudup. Jesus faces pressures from all sides. His girlfriend Lala Bonilla (Rosario Dawson) wants him to meet illegally with a 'family friend' agent. His coach has been lending him money and wants advance word on his choice. Jake gets in with his daughter Mary but Jesus quickly kicks him out for killing their mother. Uncle Bubba (Bill Nunn) wants to get paid unlike aunt Sally. Coleman 'Booger' Sykes (Hill Harper) is their son and they're Jesus' guardians. Jake rents a room next to hooker Dakota Burns (Milla Jovovich) and her pimp Sweetness.A more straight forward movie would have Jesus as the lead. The difference between Ray Allen and Denzel Washington does mean that the father gets the lead. The best scene is Big Time Willie laying down some knowledge. I also love uncle Bubba. The NBA agent does need a better actor. I don't really care about Dakota but again, the father's story gets elevated simply for Denzel. In fact, a lot of Jake's story don't completely add up. It's a side character that would serve well staying as a side character. Ray Allen turns out to be a functional actor although he's no star and he's no Denzel.
lastliberal
Director Spike Lee loves basketball. You can see him court side at Knicks games. A basketball movie fits right in with his love and this one starring Denzel Washington as a father let out of prison to convince his son to sign for the Governor's alma mater is not a bad movie. Of course Denzel's mission is complicated by the fact that he is in prison for killing his son's mother, and he named him "Jesus." Try to overcome that! But, we do get a good father-son movie in the attempt.Really, anytime we get to see Denzel is a good thing, and this also has Milla Jovovich (Resident Evil) and Rosario Dawson (Sin City, Grindhouse), and birthday girl, Jennifer Esposito. Of course, crash is a better vehicle for seeing Jennifer, but this one was available for a birthday tribute.The only thing I don't like about Lee's movies is, that with few exceptions, he portrays all his female characters (in the current vernacular) as "nappy headed ho's." This one is no exception.
AD
