Elevate
Variance Films | Release Date: October 21, 2011 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
67
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 8 Critic Reviews
Positive:
5
Mixed:
3
Negative:
0
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
80
The New York TimesAndy WebsterOct 20, 2011
Mr. Fall, a former scout for the Dallas Mavericks, founded the Seeds Academy to nurture his countrymen. His conviction, level gaze and firm eloquence instill pride, drive and determination in his players. Mr. Fall, a coach on the court and in life, is the real champion here. Read full review
80
Village VoiceAaron HillisOct 18, 2011
Four years, two continents, and a whole lot of culture shock in the making, Anne Buford's endearing and vibrantly photographed hoop-dreams doc follows a quartet of gifted West African teens from the SEEDS Academy (Sports for Education and Economic Development in Senegal) as they head to the U.S. on basketball scholarships. Read full review
80
VarietyJohn AndersonOct 16, 2011
Hoop dreams die hard, and the stories in Elevate are both sobering and thrilling. Read full review
75
IndieWireEric KohnOct 21, 2011
Elevate nails the mission, but not the message. Read full review
70
Los Angeles TimesGary GoldsteinNov 3, 2011
It's all presented with equal parts humor and sensitivity, though Buford doesn't much delve into the potential landmines here - racism, classism, exploitation - allowing the power of assimilation and opportunity to carry the day. Read full review
60
New York Daily NewsJoe NeumaierOct 21, 2011
One of the many beautiful things about this affecting, informative doc is the opportunity it gives to see the American college sports world through different eyes. Read full review
50
Slant MagazineNick SchagerOct 19, 2011
Long on hopefulness but short on sobering realities, Elevate proves a compelling if superficial look at the arduous path traveled by Senegalese teens hoping to make it to America for a higher education and an NBA career. Read full review
40
Time OutAndrew SchenkerOct 18, 2011
Elevate works as a sympathetic portrait of cultural adjustment (learning in a nonnative language, sticking to Muslim dietary restrictions), but never adequately addresses the problems of what's essentially a neocolonialist system designed to shape impoverished Africans into first-world profit-makers. Read full review
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