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Plot

This documentary about the aspirations of high-school basketball players from inner city Chicago won awards from the Sundance film festival, the New York Film Critics Circle, and the Academy Award (Oscar) for best editing. Two young men are followed during their entire high-school career, beginning with their participation in playground games and ending with their being recruited by colleges. The obstacles these young men face include parental drug addiction, family poverty, and inner-city violence, as well as the usual obstacles that arise in competition, including physical injuries. While each aspires to leave the ghetto, there are many reasons to suppose they may not be able to, despite each beating the odds against them by winning college scholarships.
MPAA Rating:
PG-13 for drug content and some strong language.
Genre(s):
Documentary
Run Time:
171min.
Theatrical Release Date:
10/14/1994
DVD Release Date:
05/09/2000
Distributor(s):
Fine Line
Director(s):
Steve James
Starring:
William Gates , Arthur Agee , Emma Gates , Sheila Agee
Themes:
Down on Their Luck,Class Differences,In Training,Underdogs,High School Life,Inner City Blues,Basketball Players
Tone:
Atmospheric,Deliberate,Intimate,Matter-of-Fact,Reflective,Understated
Keywords:
basketball,dream,poverty,sports,teenagers
Language:
English