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Love and Basketball
New Line Cinema
MPAA RATING: PG-13 for sexuality and language
Starring
Sanaa Lathan,
Omar Epps,
Alfre Woodard,
Dennis Haysbert,
and
Debbi Morgan
Two college basketball players (Epps and Lathan) have known each other since childhood. Their love of basketball sometimes conflicts with their love for each other.
| GENRE(S): |
Romance
|
| WRITTEN BY: |
Gina Prince-Bythewood
|
| DIRECTED BY: |
Gina Prince-Bythewood
|
| RELEASE DATE: |
DVD: October 10, 2000
Video: October 10, 2000
Theatrical: April 21, 2000
|
| RUNNING TIME: |
124 minutes, Color |
| ORIGIN: |
USA |
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...
91
Entertainment Weekly
Lisa Schwarzbaum
Lathan, charismatic and beautifully strong, holds the screen in every scene.
90
Los Angeles Times
Eric Harrison
In her first feature, writer-director Gina Prince-Bythewood tells a familiar tale with first-rate acting and an underlying sense of authenticity.
88
Boston Globe
Jay Carr
The cinematic equivalent of a high, arching rainbow of a three-pointer from midcourt.
88
Baltimore Sun
Ann Hornaday
The conventional and the cliche are slam-dunked in favor of a fresh, authentic take on passion, ambition and coming of age.
88
New York Daily News
Jami Bernard
Makes hoops look like the sexiest game in town.
83
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Sean Oxmaker
Uses sports as metaphor for life with rare twist.
80
Film.com
Gemma Files
A startling debut full of emotional depth and political punch.
80
LA Weekly
Ernest Hardy
Although the writing and the directing are smart and purposeful, the movie takes flight on the strength of its performances.
75
Mr. Showbiz
Kevin Maynard
It's a tad too generic to be a slam dunk.
75
San Francisco Chronicle
Bob Graham
Love and basketball -- if you like either one, here is a movie for you.
75
Charlotte Observer
Lawrence Toppman
Any critic likes to predict the rise of a star, so let me introduce you to Gina Prince-Bythewood.
75
Chicago Sun-Times
Roger Ebert
Not as taut as it could have been, but I prefer its emotional perception to the pumped-up sports cliches I was sort of expecting.
75
Chicago Tribune
Marc Caro
The biggest missteps come toward the end, when Prince-Bythewood's storybook instincts get the best of her and force a wrap-up that doesn't feel earned.
75
Miami Herald
Phoebe Flowers
Never really more than an amiable Cinderella story, but it leavens its subject with such heart, such idealism and such pure eroticism that it's nearly a total success.
75
San Francisco Examiner
Wesley Morris
Prince-Bythewood's movie is an occasionally clunky, mostly engaging coming out party for herself.
70
Film.com
Sean Means
It's Lathan -- with her passionate performance, physical grace and drop-dead-gorgeous looks -- who makes Love and Basketball so entertaining.
70
Variety
Emanuel Levy
The pic is so well directed and lead performance by Sanaa Lathan so charismatic that audiences will overlook the script's flaws and root for the central duo.
70
The New York Times
A.O. Scott
It's in the small touches that this movie comes alive, and it's rare that directors can pull off this kind of thing.
70
Village Voice
Amy Taubin
Prince-Bythewood gives the film a style that's easy on the eye but also has muscle -- on and off the court.
70
Washington Post
Stephen Hunter
This one has crossover hit written all over it.
70
Chicago Reader
Lisa Alspector
The lush, emotional scenes are enhanced by the sound track.
67
Austin Chronicle
Russell Smith
The fact that the blatantly thumbtacked-on happy ending plays as unvarnished fairy tale adds a definite bittersweet tang of irony.
63
USA Today
Andy Seiler
One wishes producer Spike Lee had stepped in to give the dialogue some sass.
60
TV Guide
Maitland McDonagh
The movie's performances, especially Lathan's, are strong enough to balance out the sometimes-clichéd script.
58
Portland Oregonian
Shawn Levy
The film's best sequences -- the troubles of the young woman -- are gems adrift in a sea of Jell-O.
50
Newsweek
Andrea C. Basora
While the first half showcases an impressive new directorial talent, the last two quarters fail to score.
50
New York Post
Jonathan Foreman
Strong cast is defeated by a labored, screenplay in this overlong, clunky love story.
20
Dallas Observer
Robert Wilonsky
A film built upon transitions so weak and obvious it's astonishing the entire thing doesn't collapse on itself.
 The average user rating for this movie is 9.5 (out of 10) based on 67 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
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