He Got Game

Infobox_Film
name = He Got Game


imdb_id = 0124718
writer = Spike Lee
starring = Denzel Washington
Ray Allen
Milla Jovovich
John Turturro
Rosario Dawson
director = Spike Lee
producer = Jon Kilik
Spike Lee
distributor = Touchstone Pictures (USA)
released = May 1, 1998
runtime = 134 minutes
language = English
music =
awards =
budget = $25,000,000

"He Got Game" is a 1998 sports-drama film written and directed by Spike Lee, and starring Denzel Washington and NBA guard Ray Allen as a father and son trying to reconcile on the eve of the signing day for his son, the #1 prep player from Abraham Lincoln High School (New York), and under pressure to decide which college basketball scholarship offer he will accept.

Plot summary

Ray Allen's character, named Jesus Shuttlesworth, is an extremely talented basketball player being pursued by the top college programs in the nation. Washington's character is a convicted felon serving time at Attica State Prison for accidentally killing his wife (Jesus's mother) by pushing her while arguing with his son. The father is temporarily released by the governor, an influential alum of one of the colleges Jesus is considering, so that he might direct his son to sign with the governor's college.

"He Got Game" offers emotional looks into the varied topics of basketball (including urban dreams of professional success), the dynamics of the father-son relationship, the effects on young men of growing up with absent fathers or parents, and the moral dilemma of choosing between material gain and the 'right' thing to do.

The film features cameos by several well-known basketball players, coaches, and announcers. It opened to mixed reviews. Due to the dark and brooding undertone of the film, it often isn't included in praise with other "softer" portrayals of urban basketball such as "Coach Carter".

The film includes several of Spike Lee's signature touches, including a monologue on social issues in the Black community and brief and graphic depictions of sex and violence.

Critical response

Time Out London, in a negative review, summed up with, "Most scenes play too long, with a surplus of ideas, textures, tones and characters, and after 134 minutes it's clear Lee's problem with closure hasn't gone away." [ [http://www.timeout.com/film/dvd/98441.html He Got Game Review. Movie Reviews - Film - Time Out London ] ]

Roger Ebert gave the film three-and-a-half-stars, and called it Lee's best film since "Malcolm X". He was particularly encouraged by Lee's determination not to adhere to typical conventions. [ [http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19980501/REVIEWS/805010304/1023 He Got Game :: rogerebert.com :: Reviews ] ]

Notes

The soundtrack for "He Got Game" was a hybrid, composed of numerous orchestral pieces by Aaron Copland with songs created by the political rap group Public Enemy. It was released by Def Jam on April 21, 1998.

The school used in the movie is Abraham Lincoln High School located near Coney Island. That was the school name used on his high school jersey throughout the movie, however the scenes were actually shot in Brooklyn Technical High School, from the gymnasium to the classrooms. This may have been a first choice by Lee because his brother lives across the street from the High School.

Box office

"He Got Game" was produced on an estimated $25,000,000 budget. In the opening weekend of its release, it was shown on 1,319 screens, and took in $7,610,663 at the U.S. box offices debuting at number 1. It eventually grossed a total of $21,554,585.

Cast

Awards & nominations

1999 Acapulco Black Film Festival
*Best Actor — Denzel Washington (nominated)
*Best Director — Spike Lee (nominated)
*Best Screenplay — Spike Lee (nominated)
*Best Film (nominated)
*Best Soundtrack (nominated)

1999 NAACP Image Awards
* Outstanding Lead Actor in a Motion Picture — Denzel Washington (nominated)
*Outstanding Youth Actor/Actress — Zelda Harris (nominated)
*Outstanding Motion Picture (nominated)

1999 MTV Movie Awards
* MTV Movie Award Best Breakthrough Male Performance — Ray Allen (nominated)

External links

Box Office Leaders USA
before = The Big Hit
date = May 3
year = 1998
after = Deep Impact

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*rotten-tomatoes|id=he_got_game|title=He Got Game
*mojo title|id=hegotgame|title=He Got Game