Hoop Dreams . Metro Pulse . 03-15-99

Hoop Dreams

DIRECTED BY: Steve James

REVIEWED: 03-15-99

The documentary Hoop Dreams (PG-13, 1994) doesn't rely on the melodrama like typical sports flicks—which is one of the reasons it's so good. But there is plenty of tension bubbling on and off the court throughout this 3-hour epic. The movie follows two poor Chicago youngsters—both exceptional basketball talents—from eighth grade into their freshman year of high school—as they pursue their dreams of making it to the NBA. The naive youngsters struggle against their own short-comings, family problems, their tough neighborhood surroundings, injuries, and the pressures of self-serving high school coaches. The movie shows how cruelty, exploitation, and commercialism have become a major part of high school sports, without trivializing its young stars' dreams.

--Joe Tarr

Capsule Reviews
Hoop Dreams

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