Saw this on neftlix. It wasn't about murder or serial killers, or dystopia like the rest. Just a family drama, which is refreshing.
A story about an urban white kid who plays basketball is unique unto itself. As was this kid. He was kind of soft and reserved, and he wasn't trying to be "street" like his teammates.
Shannon and Gugino were excellent as the parents, as was the guy playing the high school coach. So plenty to praise here.
But of course as professional reviewers have noted, there were too many clichés. The general metaphor aspect of the title was fine. But injuries, girls, betting, it was just too loaded.
I am always a fan of back-story. We heard that his mom met his uncle first, but we didn't hear from her about what initially attracted her to his dad. HIs confidence and popularity? Let's hear her reflect.
What does the kid want to major in at college? Does he like writing like his father? His dad seemed racist against Asians, but he doesn't say a word about his son's interracial relationship.
It's a Catholic school. Is the kid or his parents religious at all? We never see the dad go to confession, which is a cliché itself, but would still have added an interesting dimension.
The best aspect of the story was the idea that a jock has to be tough and dig deep. That it's very hard to walk a fine line between sensitivity and aggression. To have both. One of the great challenges of young manhood. This could have been explored much better. Clearly he inherited his mom's sensitive side. But everyone else was trying to toughen him up for his own good.
Could he still be a loveable character if he developed a thick skin and a pipeline to adrenaline? Were we supposed to assume that his final howl and chest-pound was indication that he was a new man? That he had learned how to tap into "beast-mode??
