By Joel Flom
Arizona Daily Wildcat
May 1, 1998

'Spike'ing the ball

It's no secret that Spike Lee likes basketball.

I take that back.

It's no secret that Spike Lee loves basketball.

The director is a huge Knicks fan and owner of courtside seats at Madison Square Garden in New York. Far from being a quiet observer, Lee is notorious for being a loudmouth heckler. It's only fitting that he would eventually do a movie about basketball.

Lee does not disappoint, giving the audience a high-flying, 360-degree slam dunk with "He Got Game." With a compelling story line, strong overall performances, and the usual Lee commentary on the world we live in, "He Got Game" is a complete package with all the moves.

The story follows Jake Shuttlesworth (Denzel Washington), a convict serving time for murder. Shuttlesworth has the opportunity to get his term cut short by the governor if he can do one thing - convince his basketball-gifted son, Jesus (Ray Allen), to attend Big U.

With police surveillance, Shuttlesworth is released from prison. Next, he has to smooth out his relationship with the son he hasn't seen in 6 1/2 years, as well as convince him to go to the school that the governor supports.

Meanwhile, Jesus is faced with the dilemma of whether he can find it in his heart to forgive his father while trying to steer away from all the temptations that are being thrown his way by coaches, agents, and family. Jesus must also cope with the effects that his basketball skills have on the people around him. On top of that, he has to decide which school he is going to attend.

Lee shows his brilliance in the shaping and molding of Allen, a guard for the Milwaukee Bucks, as an actor. Granted, Allen is a basketball player playing the role of a basketball player. His responsibilities, however, extend past putting the ball in the basket and throwing down some dunks. Allen also has to display a wide variety of emotions, something the rookie to the silver screen, with the help of his coach Lee, does well. Allen shows confidence in the presence of established stars like Washington, and, for the most part, is pretty convincing.

Apparently it's true that some basketball players can act, something we didn't see with the on-screen performances of a certain center for the Los Angeles Lakers. I hope Shaq is taking notes on this one.

With the help of a little afro, Denzel is heads above everyone else in the movie. His role is developed well; we see many intriguing sides of his character. We are left with the questions of whether Jake pushed his son too hard when he was younger, and if he really wants what's best for his son, as opposed to what's best for himself. Washington covers all aspects of the role, typical of his performances.

This is not the first time Washington has teamed up with Lee. He also starred in Lee's "Malcolm X" and "Mo' Better Blues." It's obvious that the two work well together.

However, not all is perfect with Lee's latest joint. I still have not grasped the purpose of the hooker, Dakota Burns, played by Milla Jovovich.

Basically, Jake befriends the hooker and helps her escape the life she is living and her pimp, Sweetness. The movie would have stood fine without her. The end isn't all that great either, very unlike most Lee films. Still, it's no reason to skip out on the flick.

Lee's best move may have come with the soundtrack laid down by Public Enemy. The songs in the film have a ton of energy, and capture the feeling of the scenes. While the movie is worth your money, the soundtrack is a must-have as well.

Lee has done a wonderful job of putting the sport that he loves on the big screen. Even if you are not a basketball fan, "He Got Game" is definitely worth your time and money.

And hey, Lute Olson is in it. What more do you need?