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Good movie but grossly overrated

The first must-see film of the year.

The acting in this movie is really good.

The biggest problem with this movie is it’s a little better than you think it might be, which somehow makes it worse. As in, it takes itself a bit too seriously, which makes most of the movie feel kind of dull.

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.

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.

My two favorite Spike Lee movies are "Clockers" and "He Got Game" and they share similarities: both are about guys trying to keep integrity amidst characters whose primary motives are to persuade him to leave the path."He Got Game" gets the edge because I love basketball and because I'm a sucker for well done father-son conflicts. The basketball parts of this movie are absolutely brilliantly shot. Most sports movies share two commonalities: completely ridiculous story lines and actors who throw like sissies. He Got Game avoids both.Okay, some parts of the story are hoky, but allowable. But what makes this movie work, similar to "Clockers" is that you get sucked into a main character whose nobility is tested at every turn. Will Jesus Shuttlesworth make it through the maze or fall prey to it? And will he be able to recognize that his father is not just one more flesh peddler? It makes for good drama. But above that, the basketball scenes just completely rock. They're examples of absolutely masterful cinematography and editing. In fact, the movie has some of the best montage sequences every put on film. Seriously.Denzel is excellent in this movie. He plays a Jeckyll and Hyde and plays both sides well. This conflicted character was very easy to root for. (I can identify.) NBA perennial All-Star Ray Allen, while more than a little stiff at times, holds his own as a non-actor in a dramatic role.He Got Game is a flawed piece of work: parts drag, it's not without its hokiness, and the subplot with Denzel and Jojovovich didn't quite fit. But the essential story lines work and play true: you believe in a conflict between father and son and you root for a high school basketball player who requires the wisdom of an adult to avoid the flesh peddlers. Kudos to Spike for not trying to hit us over the had with his message, but letting it unravel naturally.

don't be fooled by the 6.8/10 score on IMDb. I have no idea what sort of things people would find to score such a powerful film so low. It's not a sports film at all despite the heavy frame of basketball, but more of a film of love,family and the battle of deciding the struggle between head and heart. The film is readily accessible to it's viewers, and the subject matter whilst can be uncomfortable, is wholly believable. This is a film about life and choices, as well as redemption.This movie shines despite Spike Lee's need to scream black exploitation in every project he undertakes, and is a film that will provoke thought across all boundaries of race and colour for all peoples. Everyone should see this film at least once.