Love & Basketball
A young African-American couple navigates the tricky paths of romance and athletics in this drama. Quincy McCall (Omar Epps) and Monica Wright (Sanaa Lathan) grew up in the same neighborhood and have known each other since childhood. As they grow into adulthood, they fall in love, but they also share another all-consuming passion: basketball. They've followed the game all their lives and have no small amount of talent on the court. As Quincy and Monica struggle to make their relationship work, they follow separate career paths though high school and college basketball and, they hope, into stardom in big-league professional ball. Love and Basketball was the first feature film for writer/director Gina Prince-Bythewood, who previously helmed several comedy specials for Dave Chappelle. Spike Lee co-produced.
Director: Gina Prince-Bythewood
Starring: Sanaa Lathan, Omar Epps, Dennis Haysbert, Debbi Morgan, Alfre Woodard
Lathan, charismatic and beautifully strong, holds the screen in every scene.
In her first feature, writer-director Gina Prince-Bythewood tells a familiar tale with first-rate acting and an underlying sense of authenticity.
The cinematic equivalent of a high, arching rainbow of a three-pointer from midcourt.
Not as taut as it could have been, but I prefer its emotional perception to the pumped-up sports cliches I was sort of expecting.
Love and basketball -- if you like either one, here is a movie for you.
Best Actress
BET Awards (2001)
Best Film
Black Reel Awards (2001)
Best Romance
Golden Trailer Awards (2001)
Sundance Film Category
Humanitas Prize (2000)
Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture
Image Awards (2001)
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