Love & Basketball

i must of watched this film a hundred times it is so fab. Sanaa Lathan and Omar Epps are brillant in this movie. It is not only a super love storey but it shows the womans rights to play a sport she loves. This film is by far the best film i have ever seen the actors the director everybody involved in this movie was totaly brillant. There has been many love stories that are typical they meat fall in love and live happy for the rest of there lives, this movie shows the ups and downs of a relationship but still the bond between them is never broken. This is a movie worth getting.

It was fantastic film, full of love and emotions and believe in the sport's spirit.

I don't like sports movies. I don't like chick flicks. So imagine how happy I was when I rented this movie (it had been advertised as a sports movie in some ads and a chick flick in others) and found gold.

I won't give away anything about this surprisingly underrated film as I didn't know too much about it going in (as I've said many times before, that's often the best way to watch a movie). I'll just say that I'd be very happy to see more sports movies made in the mold of this one. Every cliche from the genera is tossed from the very beginning, and there isn't even a Big Game at the finale. (Well, not exactly. There *is* a climactic game, but [and you'll understand when you watch it] there is a LOT more at stake than the state championship or whatever.)

A little warning for the parents, as I'm a responsible gremlin. This movie's rated PG-13, and for a while I thought it was just for language and that this movie would be perfectly fine for thoughtful preteens. Little change of pace from the "Mighty Ducks" tripe. Well, it turns out that about halfway through there is a very *HOT* scene, so it really should have been rated R.

Then again, if "Scary Movie" can sneak by with an R and not a triple-X these days... but I digress.

Love and Basketball: Monica and Quincy have lived beside one another since they were kids, and they only care about two things in life - basketball and each other.

I am definitely more of a movie fan than a basketball fan, thus I went in expecting a jock flick with a token relationship thrown in to justify the title. I could not have been more wrong. Unlike "He Got Game" (another very good film), which dwells solely on the negative aspects of the sport - hustlers, hookers, drugs and death, L&B concentrates on the positive things in life and basketball serves as the background rather than the focus. The story is very well written and works on several levels - it refuses to be pinned down as simply a romance or drama, choosing instead a careful blending of different elements. My only complaint - minor at that - would have to be the ending (and no I'm not going to tell you).

First, how could I find fault with a film that actually does a great casting job with Tyra Banks? She has a small cameo role- she plays a beautiful stewardess, small stretch - with some great lines. Omar Epps brings his trademark cockiness to the role, and although it took me awhile to buy him as a basketball player -he's not exactly Goliath -he grows on you. More importantly, he exhibits and a depth and range that he's never shown before. Sanaa Lathan however, goes one step further, and demonstrates an intensity both on and off the court that puts her in a league all her own. Her performance can be summed up as superb.

L&B is real, engaging, and enjoyable.

Don't miss it.

"Love and Basketball" is one of the most feminist and non-stereotypical teen-through-20something movies I've ever seen.

It's in effect a tribute to Title IX and the WBNA, casually showing a girl with basketball dreams, and how it affects her personal life and those around her. Highly recommended for teens!

As good as Omar Epps was though, I thought he was a bit short to be believable as an NBA prospect.

Except for one talky section of the movie towards the end where everyone pretty much says the obvious about their relationships, the rest of the character development is done visually and through situations and not one sports movie (or African-American) cliché. It is a date movie because both leads change.

Stay through the credits to see a sweet shot at the end.

I was girding for a hip hop soundtrack, but it's old school R & B all the way and lovely to listen to (complete with a wonderful line that the audience really appreciated: "Mom, why are you drinking? I haven't seen you drink so much since Marvin Gaye died."

(originally written 5/6/2000)