Featured Audience Ratings

• Graham J

  
  Great visuals and performances though it falls short in the end, still a worthwhile minor work from Spike Lee.

• E.J. B

  
  Spike Lee is one of the very few filmmakers possessing the heart and soul of an auteur, but none of the self righteousness. He Got Game is a perfect example of the directors sensibilities. Most basketball movies tell coming of age stories against gritty backdrops that all lead up to… More
  Spike Lee is one of the very few filmmakers possessing the heart and soul of an auteur, but none of the self righteousness. He Got Game is a perfect example of the directors sensibilities. Most basketball movies tell coming of age stories against gritty backdrops that all lead up to some big game. Lee's film is practically void of all such cliches. The central narrative does build around a father trying to reconnect with his son, but the narrative progresses in ways that most screenwriters or directors would be afraid to allow. The movie explores how everyone - agents, politicians, legal guardians, even girlfriends - scrambles to get a piece of the possible glory and money behind a rising high school basketball star. But it also maintains a central focus on the basketball star and how close he is to reaching his dreams. This allows for an interesting mix in tones, where the character's field of dreams mixes with the harsh reality of the sport as a commercial entity, filled with people who's only goal, like in all business, is to make money. At the heart of it all is Denzel Washington, a convicted murderer who happens to be this young star's father. He is let out on temporary parole to try and get his son to sign with a particular university basketball team. If he does, he might be released permanently. Regardless of the outcome, this allows the father to find some redemption in helping his son figure out his life. The end is anti-climactic, but beautifully executed, displaying Spike Lee at his artistic best.

• Jason O

  
  I must say that Spike Lee did a great job in making this movie. Jake (Denzel Washington) plays a prisoner who is in jail for murdering his wife years ago. He is given a chance to get out of prison if he does one thing. He has to convince his son, Jesus (Ray Allen) to attend a certain… More
  I must say that Spike Lee did a great job in making this movie. Jake (Denzel Washington) plays a prisoner who is in jail for murdering his wife years ago. He is given a chance to get out of prison if he does one thing. He has to convince his son, Jesus (Ray Allen) to attend a certain college. If he does that, Jake is a free man. Of course, it won't be easy because Jesus has to first forgive his dad for what he did to his mom before he can even think of going to a certain university in his dad's favor. Denzel Washington and Ray Allen both put on great performances to make this a great movie. The basketball sequences in the movie are exciting, but the drama in "He Got Game" is what makes the movie work so well. I recommend anybody to get "He Got Game." NOTE: That was my Amazon review from the year 2000. I'm not as big on the movie now, but still good.

• Tim S

  
  I love basketball and I think you all know how I feel about Denzel.

• EightThirty .

  
  Cool Drama ^_^

• Dean M

  
  This Spike Lee's drama is very good interesting about ethnic pride, urban survival, and the corruption of American sports.

• danny d

  
  pretty good but a little graphic for a sports movie about a high school kid

• Al S

  
  A totally engagining and effective film. an awsome movie. Denzel Washington is brillant. Another remarkable performance. This film packs on power, intensity, passion and excellence.

• Suneel J

  
  A film that will satisfy any true basketball fan. Seeing Ray Allen star next to Denzel Washington is surreal at first, but they seem to have good chemistry. Denzel puts on one of his more strong performances as Jake Shuttlesworth and Ray Allen does a decent job for being an amateur… More
  A film that will satisfy any true basketball fan. Seeing Ray Allen star next to Denzel Washington is surreal at first, but they seem to have good chemistry. Denzel puts on one of his more strong performances as Jake Shuttlesworth and Ray Allen does a decent job for being an amateur actor. The film is quite emotional and Spike Lee delivers well in the way the story is told. It shows some of the darker sides of how the NCAA operates and the prison system as well. A good film that is a nice change of pace from ordinary sports stories.

• John B

  
  Not Spike at his best as asserted by the guy with the review below me. I think this is the film that started me to lose touch with Spike Lee. It was more speechy from this point onward. This is what happens when you get too large of an ago.

• Lesley N

  
  Jesus Shuttleworth, basketball talent, is trying to decide which college to go to, and everyone but everyone has a hidden agenda to help him choose, including his father, out of jail for a week in order to get him to sign for the state governors pet university. I really liked this… More
  Jesus Shuttleworth, basketball talent, is trying to decide which college to go to, and everyone but everyone has a hidden agenda to help him choose, including his father, out of jail for a week in order to get him to sign for the state governors pet university. I really liked this film, the pace was good, and the balance was good and the complications of the relationship between Jesus and his father, Denzel Washington seemed real and didn't get brushed over by an quick-fix happy ending. Good soundtrack by Aaron Copeland and Public Enemy too (strange combination that strangely works).

• Joseph E

  
  Takes His Court and Defends it too.

• Curt C

  
  That was one hell of a three-pointer, I'll give him that.

• Brian R

  
  Spike Lee's "He Got Game" is an amotional picture that tells two stories. One it is about as Jake Shuttlesworth (Denzel Washington), a prison inmate convicted for killing his wife. Jesus Shuttlesworth (played by NBA star Ray Allen) is a top senior athelete with the… More
  Spike Lee's "He Got Game" is an amotional picture that tells two stories. One it is about as Jake Shuttlesworth (Denzel Washington), a prison inmate convicted for killing his wife. Jesus Shuttlesworth (played by NBA star Ray Allen) is a top senior athelete with the advantage of playing professional, Jake is released on parole for a week by the state's governor in order to persuade his son to play for the governor's alma mater in exchange for a heavily-reduced prison sentence. Two it is about the shady traits and exploits the players go through. Examples would be...Job offers, a brand new car, $10,000 from coaches, even a couple of flirty female college students who greet the skeptical Jesus at a dorm room with their own techniques. In other words money is the be all and end all in the world of sports. Lee is a great filmmaker but this picture falls sort of short. Some scenes is a bit exaggerated and even slapstick comical to be taken seriously. The final game between father and son feels like a cop out and even the death of Jake's wife feels a little unbelivable. For what's worth it's a film I would recommend to film lovers. Weather you love basketball or not.

• Wu C

  
  One of Spike Lee's best. Right up there with 'Do the Right Thing' and '25th Hour'.

• Sean L

  
  A great movie that really showcases all of Spike Lee's talents, from the extremely high quality writing and acting to an interesting editing style and a good score. It goes without saying that Denzel is great, and the film is never boring. One of Spike's best.

• Tom S

  
  "Basketball is like poetry in motion." People laud Hoop Dreams, but this is the best movie about the greatest game. Love the Copland. Rodeo was made for a streetball game.

Read all 17 featured audience ratings