Love and Basketball (New Line Platinum Series) Review
It's a true statement that there are a lot of these kinds of love stories out there. This brand of movie is made almost every week, but there are few films that (for me at least) are able to transcend their own genre as well as `Love & Basketball'. Sure, there are avenues of this film that don't sit as well with me as others, but the bulk of this film is fantastic, and Sanaa Lathan's performance alone is well worth the price of admission.
Monica and Quincy grew up as neighbors. They have always had one of those quarreling sibling relationships, mostly due to their common interest; basketball. Quincy's father was a pro-ball player, and so his future seems predestined, while Monica's drive and dedication make her a better player, and an unlikely rival. As they grow up they stay friends, even if they are constantly at odds, until they realize that they are less like siblings and more like lovers. Basketball continues to divide them, as they split their focus and find that it is conquering them instead of them conquering it.
While much of the storyline feels rather `familiar', there is something special about this film.
For me, it is undeniably Sanaa Lathan. This girl is amazing, and this film marked the start of my personal love affair with her. She is not only physically stunning, but her talent as an actress is undeniable here. She is flawless as she balances Monica's life goals with her actual life, never taking away from her pained curiosity or her hearty dedication. The prom scene is especially memorable as her jealousies and insecurities are made subtly obvious. Her on-court scenes are filled with an intensity that only comes from a complete adoration of the game, and the strife she endures at the hands of her oppressive (albeit loving) mother is completely believable thanks to Lathan's remarkable understanding of her character.
Oscar, you should be ashamed!
I'm less impressed with Omar Epps, but he has never really been anything more than a pretty face to me. I haven't really seen his talent but I understand why my sisters love him. He has a genuine quality in scenes, but mostly he seems to be playing a character instead of playing a person (if that makes sense to you).
A few `clichés' aside, `Love & Basketball' is an extremely good film that feels fresh and exciting and beautifully balances out the many aspects of the film that make it so wonderful. The script is rich enough (despite some generic relationship issues) to allow us to really get to know Monica and Quincy, on and off the court. Between their love life, home life and work life, `Love & Basketball' understands how to give each side of these characters a life all its own. Yes, the film is far more concerned with Monica than Quincy, and it shows, but that doesn't mean that Quincy's character becomes a stock character. This may be Monica's story, but Quincy is a BIG part of it.
Take it from someone who is not a fan of sports or really of sports based movies; this is a movie you really need to see!
Love and Basketball (New Line Platinum Series) Feature
- (New Line Platinum Series)
Love and Basketball (New Line Platinum Series) Overview
A couple who have known each other since childhood and who taught each other how to play basketball reach a crossroads in their relationship.
Love and Basketball (New Line Platinum Series) Specifications
Gina Prince-Bythewood, a former college athlete, puts a spin on this one-on-one tale of
Love and Basketball. Sanaa Lathan (
The Best Man) is the fiercely driven, hot-tempered Monica, a tomboy who gives her all for basketball. Omar Epps (
The Mod Squad) is Quincy, an NBA player's son who has pro dreams of his own. Next-door neighbors since first grade, they start as rivals (she flabbergasts the boy by outplaying him in a game of driveway pickup) and age into best friends and lovers. The romantic complications follow a familiar game plan, but the film throws a fascinating spotlight onto the contrast between men's and women's basketball. While Quincy plays college ball on huge courts to cheering, sold-out crowds, we see Monica's sweat, tears, and sheer physical dedication in front of tiny audiences in small gyms and second-rate auditoriums.
The story is pointedly set in the late 1980s, years before the establishment of the WNBA, so Monica's prospects for pro ball lie exclusively in Europe, while Quincy steps into the pros at home. It's a pleasure to see a character as passionate and fully developed as Monica, and Lathan gives a fiery portrayal (she had never played ball before the film, but you'd never tell from her performance). Prince-Bythewood favors her struggle over Quincy's and opens our eyes to her unique challenges with a sharp, savvy contrast. Alfre Woodard costars as Monica's harping mom (always trying to get her to be more ladylike) and Dennis Haysbert is Quincy's philandering father. Hoops fan Spike Lee produced. --Sean Axmaker
*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Oct 21, 2010 17:11:05
