He Got Game (1998)

• Year: 1998
• Released: 01 May 1998
• Country: United States
• Adwords: 10 nominations
• IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0124718/
• Rotten Tomatoes: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/He_Got_Game
• Metacritics: https://www.metacritic.com/movie/he-got-game
• Available in: 720p, 1080p,
• Language: English
• MPA Rating: R
• Genre: Drama, Sport
• Runtime: 136 min
• Writer: Spike Lee
• Director: Spike Lee
• Cast: Denzel Washington, Milla Jovovich, Ray Allen
• Keywords: parent child relationship, prison, college, basketball, forgiveness,

	6.9/10
	64/100
	81% – Critics
	83% – Audience

He Got Game Storyline

Jake Shuttlesworth is in prison serving time for killing his wife in a violent family feud. He is released on parole, but with one condition – he must persuade his son, genius basketball player Jesus to sign with the governor’s alma mater university, Big State. And Jake only has a week to do it.

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He Got Game Movie Reviews

A dark and unsettling film about basketball

It finally happened, and the movie we all thought Spike Lee would make became reality. With Lee’s own little foray into the basketball world, I always wondered when he would create a story which reflected his unique views of the game. While sometimes over sensationalized, he depicted a seedy world comprised of two-faced individuals all the way down to the seedy high school coach to the professional agent. I also felt it depicted some very frank images of the cultural aspects of athletics, the sex, the money and the little freebies. While the film didn’t need the story between Denzel Washington and Milla Jovovich, it was strong in most aspects. It was a bit of a change of pace for Spike Lee, considering the graininess of the film stock and the rather mundane colors. Also, Ray Allen had one of the best pro athletes-turned-actor performances in a long time.

A talented young man…surrounded by users and jerks.

“He Got Game” is a film from Spike Lee which is unusual in that practically everyone in the film is difficult to like and many are real users. It also is a film that is a real ‘Hard-R’ movie…with quite a bit of nudity, harsh language and violence. This is less a criticism and more a warning to potential viewers.

The film begins at Attica State Prison…a real, real tough place. Prisoner Jake Shuttlesworth (Denzel Washington) is brought to the warden with a most unusual proposition. Despite Jake being in prison for murder and having another 15 years on his sentence, they are going to let him out of prison for a few days in order to do the Governor a favor. The favor? Well, Jake’s son is a top college basketball prospect and schools all over the country are pushing to get him to accept their scholarship offers. And, it seems the Governor wants the young man to go to his alma mater…and he’s pulled some strings to get Jake a chance to influence his son to make that choice.

Soon after Jake is released, the film focuses quite a bit on the son, Jesus. He seems like a nice young man but the more you watch, the more you realize just about everyone around him is trying to get something out of him! No one is looking out for the guy and his best interests…no one.

While Spike Lee is incredibly talented, this film left me flat. I appreciate how he did a film about the pressures on young athletes…that’s really a great theme. But the film has too many superfluous subplots (such as the father and so more to titilate than tell the story (plus, me prostitute) and a lot of nudity and adult content that seemed unnecessary. This is especially a problem since a film like this COULD be great for teens to see…particularly if they are interested in being a professional athlete…but why all the nudity?

Overall, the story has a lot to like but also a lot that just didn’t work for me. It’s a very uneven film and I think most of the various subplots could have been eliminated and more emphasis on Jesus…not the father, girlfriend or his friends and other family members. For a similar and more focused film, try “Blue Chips”…a film which shows much of the ugliness when it comes to college recruitment.

Spike Lee directs

Jake Shuttlesworth (Denzel Washington) has 15 more years to serve in prison. The warden (Ned Beatty) has an offer for him. The governor wants Jake’s son Jesus Shuttlesworth (Ray Allen) to sign with his alta mater Big State. Jesus is arguably the highest rated high school athlete and there is only one week before the signing deadline. Jake fakes a illness and the warden sneaks him out with parole officers Spivey (Jim Brown) and Crudup. Jesus faces pressures from all sides. His girlfriend Lala Bonilla (Rosario Dawson) wants him to meet illegally with a ‘family friend’ agent. His coach has been lending him money and wants advance word on his choice. Jake gets in with his daughter Mary but Jesus quickly kicks him out for killing their mother. Uncle Bubba (Bill Nunn) wants to get paid unlike aunt Sally. Coleman ‘Booger’ Sykes (Hill Harper) is their son and they’re Jesus’ guardians. Jake rents a room next to hooker Dakota Burns (Milla Jovovich) and her pimp Sweetness.

A more straight forward movie would have Jesus as the lead. The difference between Ray Allen and Denzel Washington does mean that the father gets the lead. The best scene is Big Time Willie laying down some knowledge. I also love uncle Bubba. The NBA agent does need a better actor. I don’t really care about Dakota but again, the father’s story gets elevated simply for Denzel. In fact, a lot of Jake’s story don’t completely add up. It’s a side character that would serve well staying as a side character. Ray Allen turns out to be a functional actor although he’s no star and he’s no Denzel.