HE GOT GAME (Touchstone - 1998) Starring Denzel Washington, Ray Allen, Milla Jovovich, Rosario Dawson, Hill Harper, Zelda Harris Screenplay by Spike Lee Produced by Jon Kilik, Spike Lee Directed by Spike Lee Running time: 134 minutes
**** (out of four stars)
Alternate Rating: A
Note: Some may consider portions of the following text to be spoilers. Be forewarned.
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The rhythmic, Buffalo Springfield-flavoured Public Enemy title track pervasive throughout Spike Lee's new film HE GOT GAME is quite a contrast to the explosively raw, ferocious "Fight The Power" which brilliantly opened the landmark DO THE RIGHT THING, but this is a markedly different sort of film. It's not the equal of his 1989 masterpiece -- few films are -- but HE GOT GAME is a splendidly entertaining piece of work, and probably the most accessible film in Mr. Lee's canon. While it's primarily an intimate domestic drama focusing upon the tenuous relationship between estranged father and son, it's also a lamenting film which decries the corrupt world of amateur athletics.
Exploitation of burgeoning athletic prospects isn't exactly a new theme, having been repeatedly addressed in numerous films of recent years, but what makes it so effective here is Mr. Lee's superb ability at creating a sense of community for his characters, which lends authenticity to the proceedings and makes the scenario all the more tragic -- while it's morbidly amusing to watch, what's disturbing about the scene where Uncle Bubba (Bill Nunn) greedily sinks his claws into top-rated high school basketball prospect Jesus Shuttlesworth (Ray Allen) is not the sheer unbridled parasitism of his gesture as much as it is the weary expression on Jesus' face, which immediately conveys the knowledge that such displays of greed are all too commonplace sights for him.
Indeed, the film is as much about the loss of innocence as it is about the basketball experience. We open with reverential scenes of the youth of America immersed in the joy of game, effectively backed by the evocative music of Aaron Copland -- hey, I'm not even a big fan of basketball, and yet I found it hypnotic and stirring -- and then watch as young Jesus progresses from an exuberant child who can triumphantly exclaim "Boo-yeah!" when beating his cousin on a video game to a jaded adolescent, pushed too hard by his father during his formative years and forced to support his family at a tender young age while required to keep a wary eye open for those who would befriend him for their own gain. Pulled upon from all sides, Jesus is, through no fault of his own, dehumanized by those around him -- he's a commodity, not a person. (There's a sobering key scene late in the film where a character matter-of-factly explains to Jesus why he's being exploited -- it would almost make you despise the character, if it were not for the fact that in its own twisted way, it does make its odd sort of sense.) To Jesus' dismay, even his young sister Mary (a splendid Zelda Harris) becomes temporarily corrupted by the greedy urchins hovering around him, seduced by dreams of wealth and prosperity. Still, as a good filmmaker is wont to do, Mr. Lee conveys his message without preaching at the audience, expressed in an inventive and engaging manner.
In fact, HE GOT GAME is hugely palatable for mainstream audiences principally due to the tempestuous relationship between father and son which serves as the heart of the film. Jake Shuttlesworth (Denzel Washington), serving time for a crime which is only revealed at the mid-point of the film, is temporarily (and unofficially) released from jail to be sent on an unique mission; he's to try to persuade his son Jesus to sign on with Big State, the governor's alma mater, by weeks' end. In return, Jake's promised the chance of early parole. The only problem is that his relationship with his estranged son is in tatters, and Jesus, despite sorely lacking in guidance, nonetheless wants nothing to do with him. Angrily shunned by his son, the scene where their paths first cross is shot in such a stark, unsensationalized manner that it's consequently fraught with genuine tension. This doesn't play like melodrama; it has a verisimilitude of authenticity.
There's been a good deal of press about certain preview screenings of the film which found audiences screaming aloud in disapproval of Jake's interracial love affair. While I'm surprised that this innocuous little romantic angle has created so much controversy (Mr. Lee plays the race card much more provocatively in a conversation shared by two characters where they compare black and white women), I was also aghast when I saw this thread play out. However, my consternation was with the superfluousness of this entire generic subplot, which is so potentless that it calls upon such familiar clichis as the good-hearted prostitute under the thumb of an abusive pimp. It's true that Jake's been in jail for five-and-a-half years, but does he *really* need a love interest? I found that it distracted from the reconciliatory thread between father and son with little gain in return. Despite it all, model-turned-actress/folk singer Milla Jovovich fares well in her minor role, while Mr. Washington imbues Jake with shades of gentleness.
Mr. Washington's such a charismatic actor that I've always wanted to see him play against type as an irredeemably nasty villain. He of course doesn't here, nor does he really approach it, but it comes as no surprise that he's very good at layering darker aspects onto his character. Mr. Washington is convincingly antagonistic when brutishly pushing and goading his young son, and does a solid job at depicting Jake's suppressed rage; we're incredulous to learn what crime had Jake committed, but a scene where he angrily blasts his basketball after a blow-up with Jesus dispels any doubts of a more volatile side of his character under the surface. Still, Mr. Washington generates so much goodwill by his sheer amiable presence that we accept Jake completely.
Mr. Lee is one of America's most important contemporary directors, and he's in top form with HE GOT GAME. Always a spectacular visual storyteller, he employs his familiar bag of techniques (different film stocks, characters directly addressing the camera, insert shots, leaps between time frames, jump cuts, use of slow-motion, etc.) effectively throughout. As with all of his films, this one has a great deal of heart -- at times it's extremely moving -- but I especially appreciated Mr. Lee's keen eye with the little touches; when Jesus tells his girlfriend Lala (Rosario Dawson) at one point that he loves her, you can just barely catch her momentarily flinching.
The film's cast all turn in top-notch performances. Mr. Washington demonstrates why he's one of our very best actors, while between this film and CROOKLYN, Ms. Harris clearly makes a case for herself as one of the top performers of her generation; she's terrific. HE GOT GAME hinges on Mr. Allen in the pivotal role of Jesus, and the acting debut of the Milwaukee Bucks guard is legitimately superb, relaxed and convincing. It's a remarkable turn, a genuine revelation.
As good as the cast is, and as impressive as the contributions by cinematographer Malik Hassan Sayeed and editor Barry Alexander Brown may be, this is Mr. Lee's triumph. Adeptly combining humour, drama, raw emotion and insight in affecting fashion, he once again demonstrates that as well as being one of the most controversial of directors, he's also one of the best.
- Alex Fung
email: aw220@freenet.carleton.ca
web : http://www.ncf.carleton.ca/~aw220/
-- Alex Fung (aw220@freenet.carleton.ca) | http://www.ncf.carleton.ca/~aw220/ "Unlike you, I'm tolerant of weirdness." - Jennifer Jason Leigh, CROOKED HEARTS
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