Film

More Than a Game: Don't give a shit about basketball? See it anyway.

by Grant Brissey

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More Than a Game
dir. Kristopher Belman

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LeBron James is a household name, familiar even to those who know nothing about basketball. Thankfully, More Than a Game is about more than LeBron James and, as a result, could reach a far wider audience than the game's traditional fan base.

Game's story mirrors the clichéd sports-feature-film trajectory so uncannily, at times it's hard to believe you're watching a documentary. And man alive, what a trajectory: In order to stay close, a ragtag team of black childhood friends from the poor part of Akron, Ohio—led by a rookie coach and father of one of the players—decides to attend and play for a mostly white Catholic high school called St. Vincent-St. Mary's. Against adversity, team gains rank and blows minds; team grows overconfident, defies coach, and suffers crushing defeat; team recommits to coach and refocuses for a last attempt at victory.

Director and Akron native Kristopher Belman was studying at Loyola Marymount University, and after reading a story about the team choosing St. Vincent-St. Mary's out of friendship, he began Game as what was supposed to be a 10-minute school project. (He got a B+.) Since Belman was a student, he was able to attend one practice at a time when media were swarming St. Vincent-St Mary's to get at LeBron James, the standout star of what had become known as the "Fab Five." Belman returned the next day, without permission, and eventually became part of the team's entourage, documenting its rise through the ranks of high-school basketball.

Despite the frenzy, James—who, at just 18, was the number-one pick in the 2003 NBA draft and became the youngest-ever Rookie of the Year (and has been named NBA All-Star every year since)—shares equal screen time with his teammates and coach. This is More Than a Game's coup. Belman masterfully interlaces rich interviews with enthralling game footage, aided by a stellar soundtrack featuring Jay-Z, Jurassic 5, and T.I. The formula renders subplots like the dynamic between Coach Dru Joyce III and his son as engaging as anything on the court. The result is truly moving. I haven't watched the NBA since Gary Payton left the Sonics, but this film gave me chills. Go see it—even if you don't give a shit about basketball.