He Got Game

Name: He Got Game
Genre: Drama, Sport
Released: May 1, 1998
Duration: 136 min
Rating: 64
Cast: Denzel Washington, Milla Jovovich

1998

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 21 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 41 Ratings

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8.3

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8.3	User Score Universal acclaim based on 41 Ratings

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He Got Game

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Movie Details & Credits

Buena Vista Pictures | Release Date: May 1, 1998 | R

Starring: Denzel Washington, Milla Jovovich

Summary: Denzel Washington stars as a prison inmate trying to earn himself an early release by talking his estranged son into playing basketball at the governor of New York's alma mater.

Director: Spike Lee

Genre(s): Drama, Sport

Rating: R

Runtime: 136 min

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Critic Reviews

David Denby

The movie is a volatile combination of ambitious mythmaking and nasty reality, and like most of Spike Lee’s work, it is also an inextricable combination of good and bad. Read full review

Owen Gleiberman

As is often the case with Lee, though, the film left me wishing for even more scenes of casual intimacy, still the most powerful way to carry any message. Read full review

Janet Maslin

Basketball, bold urban landscapes, larger-than-life characters and red-hot visual pyrotechnics are the strong points of Mr. Lee's biggest three-ring circus, not to mention the central presence of Denzel Washington. Read full review

David Ansen

Flaws and all, this may be Spike's most purely enjoyable movie, and his best looking Read full review

Russell Smith

For all his superfan's intimacy with b-ball culture, he focuses less on the sport's fascinating mystique than on generic recapitulation of how celebrity culture seduces and devours young minority athletes. Read full review

Stephen Hunter

He got too much movie. That's the scoring total on Spike Lee's He Got Game, which ultimately must be judged a mild disappointment. Read full review

Keith Phipps

There's not a relationship in He Got Game that feels right, especially the one between Washington and Allen, and if that doesn't work, neither does the film. Read full review

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User Reviews

JPK

Jul 8, 2019

Really Good
He Got Game has solid directing from Lee and a hefty performance from Washington.

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JoshC.

Feb 3, 2007

"He Got Game" ranks alongside, Do the Right Thing, Clockers, Malcom X, 25th hour, and When the Leeves Broke as one of Spike's best films. A very moving and underrated movie.

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SeanK

Jun 10, 2009

Coming off a series of mediocre films to say the least, Spike Lee presents us with perhaps his best film since Malcolm X. The movie flows with a certain ingenuity that keeps the viewers locked in even when the movie and script all together sems to falter. Combined with some stunning Coming off a series of mediocre films to say the least, Spike Lee presents us with perhaps his best film since Malcolm X. The movie flows with a certain ingenuity that keeps the viewers locked in even when the movie and script all together sems to falter. Combined with some stunning cinematography and great acting from Denzel Washington, He Got Game's low points are surely overshadowed by its High Points and the fact that well....Spike Lee has finally given us a film worthy of seeing in theatres since Malcolm X.… Expand

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heeldavid

Nov 21, 2014

He Got Game totally is one of Spike Lee's Joints best. Ray Allen is a rarity, an athlete that can act. Denzel Washington delivers as always.It may not have been a box office success but Spike Lee should be proud of this amazing film

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Spangle

Jul 30, 2016

He Got Game is an alright to pretty good film. Denzel Washington is at his best as a convict who has to convince his son to go to the governor's favorite school in order to get out of jail early. Ray Allen also turns in a shockingly good performance in Spike Lee's film that is veryHe Got Game is an alright to pretty good film. Denzel Washington is at his best as a convict who has to convince his son to go to the governor's favorite school in order to get out of jail early. Ray Allen also turns in a shockingly good performance in Spike Lee's film that is very interesting. It is a very compelling look at the real life issues recruits face and what gifts they are tempted with in order to go to certain schools. That said, the film does have a few problems that are quite major. First off, it is too long. At nearly two hours and twenty minutes, He Got Game overstays its welcome by a little bit. The story is over-the-top and Lee's flair for theatrics is ever present here and he can never help himself but indulge in sillier and sillier plot points (really, the premise is a bit far fetched to begin with). Additionally, character motivations are deeply unclear, namely Ray Allen's. Things occur unnaturally and is a very movie type of way, in that they occur because they have to in order for Lee to try and make a point and for the plot to move along. Though the film can be quite interesting and is an enjoyable experience, He Got Game is a cheesy sports movie with a father-son element that occurs very unnaturally.… Expand

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74	#74 Best Movie of 1998
82	#82 Most Discussed Movie of 1998
87	#87 Most Shared Movie of 1998