Review of Hoop Dreams (1994) by Kevin D — 13 Jul 2010

A movie with a wide range of emotions. This is one of the best movies of the 90's and it might just be the fastest moving 2 hour and 51 minute movie there is. The reason why this movie is so entertaining and breezy is because it is not about one story and the events in the film have their own freedom.

This documentary follows 2 inner city kids from 8th grade to their first few years of college. The two kids are considered top notch basketball players in their communities. The movie profiles the controversial practices of basketball recruiting (also explored in William Friedkin's underrated Blue Chips), the struggles of inner city families, and it is about passions and dreams.

The movie is spellbinding in the way it is told. This is one of those movies that will pull you in right away and you will sit and literally get lost in the world of the movie. You will feel pumped up after every miraculous game, feel heart broken after a missed opportunity on the basketball court, and feel the pain and struggles of the families in the movie. The movie is so unpredictable and it takes so many twists and turns.

This is a movie for anyone who has ever had a dream and for anybody who has ever felt pain. This is a movie that is all about life. It is astounding as we watch the childish 8th graders in this movie become men. The fact that the film makers were granted the opportunity to film the private and intimate lives of these families is a miracle. The real people in this movie become richly imagined characters that we truly get to know.

Hoop Dreams is an engaging and beautiful documentary and it is a great film. It is a shame that this movie was ignored at the Oscars. As a basketball fan, I loved this movie, but this movie can be appreciated just as much by people who hate sports. The movie is more about life than it is about sports.