‎He Got Game (1998) directed by Spike Lee • Reviews, film + cast • Letterboxd

He Got Game

1998 Directed by Spike Lee

The father, the son and the holy game.

A basketball player's father must try to convince him to go to a college so he can get a shorter sentence.

Denzel Washington Ray Allen Milla Jovovich Rosario Dawson Hill Harper Jill Kelly Chasey Lain John Turturro Ned Beatty Robin Roberts Michael Jordan Scottie Pippen Charles Barkley Reggie Miller Shaquille O'Neal Bill Walton Dick Vitale Bobby Cremins Rick Pitino Jim Boeheim George Karl Clem Haskins Denny Crum Nolan Richardson Roy Williams John Chaney John Thompson Lute Olson Dean Smith

136 mins More details at IMDb TMDb Report this film

Popular reviews

Review by davidehrlich ★★★½

"all those lips all those hips all those honey dips."

the *most* Spike Lee joint there is? and the quintessential Denzel Washington performance.

that constant Copland score!

magical-realist touch certainly gives the impression that the bifurcated narrative comes together, but i get the impression that Spike was at war with his own cooked up abstractions... the director part of him wanted to let this story fly on its themes, but the writer part of him could never let that happen (hence, milla jovovich as one of the cinema's sweetest prostitutes). all the same, i cant' help but think that the ending works... the guard with the sniper rifle is a touch too far, and Ray Allen trying to command that long final shot is a bit of a laugh, but the shot counts even if it's off the rim.
Review by Danny Webster ★★★ 2

Director Project

Director: Spike Lee (Final Film)

What have I learned about Spike Lee? First and foremost - despite misguided preconceptions, I've enjoyed his films. He has a real genuine voice and he has a fiery passion, and with He Got Game when his passion is at full burn, it really does tell.

That, and he just so happens to have a genius performance from Denzel Washington to go along with it; a performance I might add that adds and adds and adds and adds and adds so much to the film; so much in fact; I forgot the film focused (not overly) on Basketball. A sport which although I have some respect for simply because it has obviously given…
Review by Steven Sheehan ★★★★

Part Eleven of the Spike Lee Feature Film Project

Denzel's definitely got game. Lee's eleventh feature film is centred around his other obsession, basketball, how the lure of fame and fortune is thrown at the feet of the young men who are touted for big things in the game. With Lee's passion and a surprisingly effective performance from real-life b-ball star Ray Allen, finding authenticity held few problems.

Allen does what is required of him in most departments, although that final edge, a certain depth is lacking from his delivery. Not that it matters too much, as Mr Washington more than makes up for any missing emotional depth with the type of complex realisation of his character that has made…
Review by Jack1704 ½ 5

Absolutely shite. Stool water of the highest order.

2 hours of Jeff all actually happening.

Not even worth a review.
Review by Mike D'Angelo ★★½

50/100

[Originally written on my blog.]

Not as lame as I once thought, mostly because Spike's having such a good time formally—practicing moves he'd put to more stirring use a few years later in 25th Hour—and because Denzel gets to be kind of a dick, which always brings out the best in him. You can tell the film was made by someone genuinely in love with the game, which counts for a lot. Bonus points as well for the climactic one-on-one confrontation, which doesn't pretend there's any chance that a middle-aged amateur might best the country's #1 high-school prospect, whatever minor psychological advantage he might have as the kid's dad. Still, the script really is pretty terrible, especially when it…
Review by Aaron T. Rex ★★★★ 7

I'm looking through his filmography and I can't find a film where Denzel did not deliver. He might be in a couple of bad films, there might be all kinds of bad performances around him, but he is always on top of the situation. He makes everything watchable.

In 'He Got Game' he delivers one of his stronger performances. He gets to work with some pretty complex things and knocks it out of the park of course.

It's a pretty interesting film, with Lee doing all kinds of slightly off-kilter things with the visuals and the story telling. The music was... I don't know. Can someone tell me what was going on there?

Recent reviews

Review by JosephLoftgren ★★★★

It features such a gritty performance from Denzel, and one of the best character names in any movie ever, 'He Got Game' sees Spike Lee in total control behind the camera, resulting in one of the best basketball movies ever.
Review by blackroca ★★★★

Denzel Vs Ray 1 on 1,

makes 3 pointer
Ray : "yeah what about now"

It's Ray Allen he can make 5 three pointers before you finish reading this sentence!!!! Love this movie and the small town of Coney Island
Review by bailey ★★★★

a basketball movie i really like? inch resting
Review by Vincent Mollica ★★★

(There's good and not so good, but 100% worth seeing for Denzel Washington alone.)
Review by Thomas Wishloff

Someone once said that sports are the great meritocracy. That nobody gets anywhere in sports without being really, really good.

I'm starting to think that this is not actually true. That a sport like basketball, primarily played by Black Americans, doesn't eradicate institutional racism. Look at OJ Mayo, supposed to be the next Lebron James, who ended up never getting a chance due to realize his full NBA potential due to having careless influences on him throughout his career. One thing that He Got Game does say is that institutional racism and basketball are intertwined. That Jesus has to seriously consider going pro and forgoing college to simply help his kid sister. That Jake is even offered the opportunity at…
Review by Encyclopedia Brown ★★★★

A Public Enemy soundtrack, Peak Denzel, and Ray Allen! There may be a lot to knock here but I am certain of one thing, this is the coolest movie ever made.
Review by Gregory ★★★

A noble effort by Lee, honest and well shot. What it seems to lack is much emotion, it seems to be almost empty in that regard, making it less of a compelling watch. It has good moments as well, but it's too long
Review by Brian Panitch ★★★½

Ray Allen
Review by Jerry Downing ★★★★

July 2017 Challenge - Connection to previous movie - Denzel Washington

I think I've only seen this once before, and thought it was just okay. Liked it a lot more this time. Spike Lee joint about a father (Denzel) who is in prison for the murder of his wife. His son turns out to be the number one basketball prospect coming out of High School. The governor gives Denzel a deal. Get your son to sign to my college Alma mater, and I'll lessen your sentence. Denzel gets out, and finds he's just one of many that are pulling his son to go to where they would most benefit from.

At the end of the day, this really a story about father and son. Denzel is his usually excellent self here. Ray Allen plays his son. One of his two acting credits. Not sure why he didn't do more after his basketball career. He's pretty solid here.