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Heart of the Game, The
Generally favorable reviews
Based on 26 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 6 votes
Read user comments
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Movie Info
Genre(s): Documentary
Written by: Ward Serrill
Directed by: Ward Serrill
Release Date:
Theatrical: June 9, 2006
DVD: February 27, 2007
Running Time: 97 minutes, Color
Origin: USA
Summary
RATING: PG-13 for brief strong language
Starring Ludacris (narrator), Devon Crosby Helms, Maude Lepley, Bill Resler, Darnellia Russell, and Joyce Walker
This documentary focuses on the passion and energy of a girls' high school basketball team.
Also On The Web: Internet Movie Database Official Studio Site
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
Portland Oregonian M. E. Russell
Intimate, funny, moving and incredibly rousing -- even if you're allergic to sports movies.
Read Full Review >Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert
Sports movies have a purity of form. They always end with the big game, in triumph or heartbreak. So does The Heart of the Game, although the lawsuit still hangs over the team after the final free throw.
Read Full Review >Boston Globe Ty Burr
It's a wrenching, ennobling essay on teamwork and the hard struggle to change one's life.
Read Full Review >New York Post Kyle Smith
This distaff "Hoop Dreams" is less of an epic than the earlier movie, and less deep, but it's got more sunshine, too.
Read Full Review >Chicago Tribune Michael Phillips
If you or any kid over the age of 10 has even a half-interest in the definition of the word "teamwork," as well as the words "real-life suspense," this is the movie.
Read Full Review >USA Today Claudia Puig
It captures an authentic feel-good spirit and inspirational message that most Hollywood movies barely approximate.
Read Full Review >Entertainment Weekly Scott Brown
The film is a furious full-court press, its subjects aflame with the kind of passion only youth can furnish.
Read Full Review >Baltimore Sun Michael Sragow
This documentary (like the fact-based 2004 feature Miracle) demonstrates how powerful true sports stories can be when they delve into the mystery of leadership instead of falling back on nostalgia.
Read Full Review >Los Angeles Times Kevin Crust
An exhilarating story of loyalty and perseverance, The Heart of the Game succeeds as both inspiration and social commentary.
Read Full Review >Washington Post Ann Hornaday
Combines nonstop action with an absorbing story to become a classic on par with "Hoosiers" and "Hoop Dreams."
Read Full Review >Austin Chronicle Marrit Ingman
It's a good bet for youth audiences (the PG-13 rating is for one instance of language) and finds plenty of thought-provoking subject matter courtside.
Read Full Review >Philadelphia Inquirer Steven Rea
Serrill has shot and edited The Heart of the Game in straightforward documentary style, with a narration by the rapper and actor Ludacris. But the dramas going on here, on and off the court, more than make up for any lack of flash.
Read Full Review >San Francisco Chronicle Peter Hartlaub
The end result is an interesting documentary that is as unpolished and gutsy as the championship-caliber high school hoop stars at the other end of his camera.
Read Full Review >TV Guide Ken Fox
Serrill wisely divides his film into chapters according to year, which helps structure the story's natural repetitiveness.
Read Full Review >Rolling Stone Peter Travers
There's no denying the exuberant energy and emotional force of this movie. It gets to you.
Read Full Review >The Onion (A.V. Club) Scott Tobias
The entertaining new documentary The Heart Of The Game at least acknowledges many of the same conflicts that arose in Hoop Dreams, even though it's really more about two outsized personalities and their infectious passion for the sport.
Read Full Review >ReelViews James Berardinelli
What really matters in this film are the lead characters - Resler and Russell - who are interesting enough to warrant such a cinematic endeavor. The upbeat film touches on serious issues without becoming lugubrious.
Read Full Review >Village Voice Robert Wilonsky
A sweet, engaging journey with the Roosevelt Roughriders, whose kindly coach encourages the girls to snarl like wolves and devour like lions.
Read Full Review >The Hollywood Reporter Michael Rechtshaffen
Making his feature-length debut after forging a career making socially conscious short films, director Ward Serrill never takes his eye off the ball, maintaining a sharp storytelling focus distilled from those seven years worth of footage.
Read Full Review >The New York Times Manohla Dargis
[Mr. Resler] turns out to be not only the heart of this particular game, but also its brains, lungs and unforgettably endearing mug.
Read Full Review >Time Richard Corliss
Ward Serrill's feel-good doc, which covers seven years in the life of Resler's Roughriders, is hobbled by a narration so syrupy, it could be poured on pancakes. But the movie soars because of the sport's natural drama and its luck in finding a complex heroine.
Read Full Review >The Globe and Mail (Toronto) Rick Groen
The pat inspirational formula is followed to a sweaty T, although it comes here with an inadvertent side effect -- more than a few nagging questions never get answered.
Read Full Review >New York Daily News Elizabeth Weitzman
Genuinely touching and unquestionably sincere, the movie certainly has heart - but it could have used a little more game.
Read Full Review >Chicago Reader J.R. Jones
The resulting movie (2005) covers seven years and touches on some of the same social issues that gave "Hoop Dreams" its epic sweep, yet Serrill fails to treat any of them adequately, and the narrative loses its shape as events unfold.
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this movie is 7.8 (out of 10) based on 6 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Tom P. gave it a9:
Strong documentary. Holds together and holds attention. Sports junkies will love this.
Rostoforian D. gave it a7:
great movie all around..could use better direction and more plot, but still very enjoyable and intresting...a sweet film.
Ken G. gave it a6:
This really only focuses on two people. One (the star player) is interesting. The other (the coach) is not. Film-makers couldn't be bothered to let us know anyone else. Doesn't work as a Cinderella story either, as the team had been a powerhouse for years, so movie is just about it taking the final step. Not really a bad movie, just not all that good.
Chris P. gave it a10:
This is one of the best movies I've ever seen. People will compare it to Hoop Dreams, and its tough to do so because Hoop Dreams was a classic. This movie probably isn't as good as Hoop Dreams because Ward Serrill didn't get as up close and personal with his characters as the Hoop Dreams' directors did. But what this movie has over Hoop Dreams is nonstop entertainment-a roller coaster ride with a happy ending. I cried at times during the movie but left with a smile on my face.
Willard S. gave it a9:
What might be lacking in visual aesthetics are made up for by a really inspiring story. My 14 year old daughter has her heart set on playing pro ball and we couldn't have enjoyed this more. This film is a must for young women - a cautionary tale as well as an inspiring one. We all felt compelled to cheer throughout the film.
