Omar
Epps and Sanna Lathan star in this sports romance that made its debut at The Sundance
Film Festival earlier this year.
In
Love and Basketball, Epps (Higher Learning) and Lathan play life long friends
who have a passion for basketball and, in their college years, develop a passion
for each other.
Writer-Director
Gina Prince-Blythewood makes a likable, if obvious, debut, in which she tries
to parallel her characters lives on and off the court. "Is love more important
than the game? Of course, as an audience member, the answer to that question is
easier to come by.
Lathan
gives a terrific performance as a tomboy who must refine her game and make that
leap into womanhood. Epps is likable as the man in her life.The standout performances,
however, come from Alfre Woodard (Grand Canyon) as Lathan's housekeeping mother,
and Dennis Haysbert (Major League) as Epps' protective father who also happens
to be an Ex Clipper.
Director
Blythewood proves to be more interested in her characters than she is the game
which sets this film apart from other sports movies. There is no climactic basketball
sequence, but rather a sweet but predictable one- on-one match between the film's
leads.
Love and
Basketball is a well acted, likable romance that never aspires to be anything
more than charming, and most of the time it succeeds.
