Spike Lee Got Terrific "Game"
"He Got Game" is the kind of unique movie that gives you a peek into a world that few of us can ever be a part of. It's real focus is on the temptations that bombard Jesus Shuttlesworth (NBA star Ray Allen), who has long endured a life of hardship but is on the verge of entering the promised land. Now, as the country's #1 high school player, he is constantly being hounded by sports agents and college recruiters. Jesus is no longer just another person. He has become a commodity, and the trading environment is fierce and unscrupulous.
The Governor, who is a huge college basketball fan, hopes that Jesus will attend his alma mater, the fictional Big State. The governor offers a deal to Jake (Denzel Washington), Jesus' father, who is serving time in jail. Get him to go to his alma mater and Jake's sentence will be reduced. Jake is released for a week in order to persuade him. But Jesus hates his father, blaming him for the destruction of their family. Jake is not only trying to convince Jesus to go to Big State, but also wants to use his precious time to ask for his son's forgiveness and impart a little advice as only a father can. Much of this movie focuses on Jake's poignant attempt to reconnect with his son and society. He is a simple man and looks for any glimmer of hope. Jake also befriends an abused prostitute (Milla Jovovich). While this chance relationship may clash with the rest of the film, it does allude to the tough choices that we face in light of extraordinary circumstances. He desperately tries to reacquaint himself with his son, but Jesus is immersed in a multitude of distractions.
Yet it's the other distractions that I found to be the most enjoyable part of the film. His high school coach bribes him. The uncle who has raised him buys a brand new Lexus leveraging Jesus' name. The girlfriend admits that high school relationships in general fail, and pointedly asks why she shouldn't get anything for their time together. A local Benz-driving, street hustler tells of the traps and pitfalls that await those who approach fame and fortune too quickly. There is a terrific five-minute scene involving a fast-talking sports agent that wants Jesus to turn professional under his tutelage. The agent shows off his collection of exotic cars and offers to give him a platinum and diamond watch that costs more than a Corvette. And there is also an interesting sequence where Jesus is given a tour of a college complete with parties, a glitzy presentation, and busty students who recruit using their own unique methods.
He Got Game is partly a drama about a father that wants to reunite with his son, but it's also a fascinating look into the competitive recruitment process and about the transformation process that inevitably accompanies impending fame and fortune. The storytelling is insightful and invigorating. In the end, we learn that while we may become a commodity to everyone else, we'll always remain a real person to our parents, and this link to our humanity may be the most important thing to have.
Grade: B+
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