Love and Basketball

Entertainment Weekly Lisa Schwarzbaum

Lathan, charismatic and beautifully strong, holds the screen in every scene.

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.

Boston Globe Jay Carr

The cinematic equivalent of a high, arching rainbow of a three-pointer from midcourt.

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.

New York Daily News Jami Bernard

Makes hoops look like the sexiest game in town.

Seattle Post-Intelligencer Sean Oxmaker

Uses sports as metaphor for life with rare twist.

Film.com Gemma Files

A startling debut full of emotional depth and political punch.

LA Weekly Ernest Hardy

Although the writing and the directing are smart and purposeful, the movie takes flight on the strength of its performances.

Mr. Showbiz Kevin Maynard

It's a tad too generic to be a slam dunk.

San Francisco Chronicle Bob Graham

Love and basketball -- if you like either one, here is a movie for you.

Charlotte Observer Lawrence Toppman

Any critic likes to predict the rise of a star, so let me introduce you to Gina Prince-Bythewood.

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.

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.

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.

San Francisco Examiner Wesley Morris

Prince-Bythewood's movie is an occasionally clunky, mostly engaging coming out party for herself.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Washington Post Stephen Hunter

This one has crossover hit written all over it.

Chicago Reader Lisa Alspector

The lush, emotional scenes are enhanced by the sound track.

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.

USA Today Andy Seiler

One wishes producer Spike Lee had stepped in to give the dialogue some sass.

TV Guide Maitland McDonagh

The movie's performances, especially Lathan's, are strong enough to balance out the sometimes-clichéd script.

Portland Oregonian Shawn Levy

The film's best sequences -- the troubles of the young woman -- are gems adrift in a sea of Jell-O.

Newsweek Andrea C. Basora

While the first half showcases an impressive new directorial talent, the last two quarters fail to score.

New York Post Jonathan Foreman

Strong cast is defeated by a labored, screenplay in this overlong, clunky love story.

Dallas Observer Robert Wilonsky

A film built upon transitions so weak and obvious it's astonishing the entire thing doesn't collapse on itself.