Above the Rim

Kyle Lee Watson is a cocky high school basketball star. Bugaloo (Marlon Wayans) is his loudmouth friend. Flip Johnson (Bernie Mac) is a local homeless guy. Tommy Shepard (Leon) is a high school security guard who secretly used to be a star player. His brother Birdie (Tupac Shakur) is a local drug lord. Shep starts going out with Kyle's mother. Kyle falls under Birdie's influence.

This movie starts with a ridiculous scene. Shep and his friend are playing basketball on the roof of a building. There's no fence. The friend tries to dunk and smash through the backboard falling to his death. The setup is stupid to begin with but it also looks stupid. It takes awhile for the movie to regain its credibility. It helps that there are some good acting going on here. I especially like Leon and Tupac. They are compelling brothers. I really like their story and their chemistry. The rest are solid. I just wish they redo that opening scene.

What a cast - and even the ones you may not expect to like as much do a really good job. So maybe the Wayans in here is nothing more than ... what he is in reality, but he also proved with Darren Arronofsky that he can actually act - I sometimes wonder why he never took that route. But another actor in this never had the chance to go any route ... and Tupac Shakur shows that he is or could have been quite the good actor.

Overall the story is quite predictable and it is the actors that make this something that may seem more than worthwhile. Not sure about all the basketball scenes in this, but they are more than decent enough to keep you interested and on the edge of your seat.

This movie is definitely a memorable hood movie, don't know why it's not up their with the others.

The thing that stood out the most in this movie was that it is not a basketball movie. It's a hood movie. I was expecting it to be a basketball movie set that just happens to be in the hood, but no. Still, it's got a lot of action packed exciting basketball scenes in it. While it's not a basketball movie, any fan of basketball should enjoy it.

Overall it's a good movie. Should be a good watch for fans of hood movies, fans of basketball, or both.

This is one of my guilty obsession type films. Most of the young actors (at the time), gave their best performances. The film is a bout a young basketball player who goes through a lot of trouble in his last year as a high school star point guard. Duane Martin shines in this role, perfectly casted, nice performance by the young actor. Tupac Shakur gives his best performance ever, better than his over-the-top Juice in which he was also impressive. Marlon Wayans, also gives one of his best early performances, not doing too much, didn't annoy me here. Leon's performance wasn't that great, hes not the best actor. I also liked Bernie Mac in a very hilarious role. The film is not perfectly acted, but Martin and Shakur carry it. Its a good screenplay, directed well, with great basketball scenes as well. great film 9/10

An absolute all rounder. The cast, the plot, the basketball all come 2getha 4 an absolute stunner of a film. The Medina/Pollack influence is clear (Fresh Prince), the film offers a realistic portrayal of life in the hood.Wayans is on a mental one the entire film, while Leon gives a far more sombre, dark performance as the traumatised player who could have had it all.Tupac......Tupac is Tupac and it don't get any better (or realer) than that. The film has some slight issues regarding the love interest (Kyle's mom and Shep)which I don't feel is entirely necessary, but my girlfriend thought it was cute so the film has the potential to appeal to all.But it, rent it, watch it, steal it, borrow it...do something to see this film and remember...."Recognise mother******!"