This was an awesome movie. This was better than Coach Carter and that was a great film. I really honestly enjoyed this film for a number of reasons. I like basketball and movies about the sport.
First, the acting was top-notch for a movie that consisted of mostly actors and actresses who have had no prior professional acting jobs. That is, judging from the fact that some of these actors only have Tournament of Dreams listed as the only movie they've ever been in. It's kind of a shame because I would have liked to have seen Shakira Bryant and Keana Jackson book other acting jobs in other movies and TV shows because both these girls played their roles really well. I hate that Two-Two (Shakira Bryant's character) was killed off mid-movie because she was my favorite character in this movie but I understand as her death played a major role in the movie's storyline.
In line of the good acting, I think the director and casting director both went to great length to get the best actors and actresses for the really small budget they had to work with because in my opinion the casting was really good. The Game, Debbie Allen (who I'm a fan of), and Rae'van Larrymore Kelly were nice as cast members for this film and great acting ALMOST (I stress again, ALMOST) takes away from the fact that it's extremely easy to tell--just by watching it--that this is a low-budget indie.
Speaking of the film's budget, I'm glad to now know that this movie was made for $1,500,000 because I've been dying to know that information because also speaking on the quality, I've been also dying to know how such a low-budget indie could afford names like Tony Todd, The Game, and Debbie Allen but couldn't afford a better quality camera. This movie looks like it was shot on some old cheep camcorder. The cinematography is a bit hard to see. This has to be the ONLY thing I did NOT like about the movie, and it now has me thinking that the budget money could have gone to getting a better camera and less on getting known actors. Also, according to the Trivia section, Meagan Good was going to be in this movie but couldn't due to a scheduling conflict. That sucks because I would have loved this film even more if Meagan Good were in it.
Storywise, I found this an intriguing little story about how the school's principal finding it necessary to cut-out the girls' basketball team due to budget cuts and the girls on that team desperately wanting to save it as they (and their new coach) use basketball as an escape from their inner-city life.
To sum up my review, the subject matter was awesome and inspiring. It's also sad that this film doesn't have much publicity as other films that aren't worth watching. As I previously stated, this movie has that indie feel to it that would be hard to ignore if not for the good acting and choice in cast members. Really, from start to finish, you can tell all throughout the movie that it's a low-budget independent movie.
I love this so much that I want to give it a full 10 score but it is losing a point from my vote for its low quality but kudos to the cast and producers.
First, the acting was top-notch for a movie that consisted of mostly actors and actresses who have had no prior professional acting jobs. That is, judging from the fact that some of these actors only have Tournament of Dreams listed as the only movie they've ever been in. It's kind of a shame because I would have liked to have seen Shakira Bryant and Keana Jackson book other acting jobs in other movies and TV shows because both these girls played their roles really well. I hate that Two-Two (Shakira Bryant's character) was killed off mid-movie because she was my favorite character in this movie but I understand as her death played a major role in the movie's storyline.
In line of the good acting, I think the director and casting director both went to great length to get the best actors and actresses for the really small budget they had to work with because in my opinion the casting was really good. The Game, Debbie Allen (who I'm a fan of), and Rae'van Larrymore Kelly were nice as cast members for this film and great acting ALMOST (I stress again, ALMOST) takes away from the fact that it's extremely easy to tell--just by watching it--that this is a low-budget indie.
Speaking of the film's budget, I'm glad to now know that this movie was made for $1,500,000 because I've been dying to know that information because also speaking on the quality, I've been also dying to know how such a low-budget indie could afford names like Tony Todd, The Game, and Debbie Allen but couldn't afford a better quality camera. This movie looks like it was shot on some old cheep camcorder. The cinematography is a bit hard to see. This has to be the ONLY thing I did NOT like about the movie, and it now has me thinking that the budget money could have gone to getting a better camera and less on getting known actors. Also, according to the Trivia section, Meagan Good was going to be in this movie but couldn't due to a scheduling conflict. That sucks because I would have loved this film even more if Meagan Good were in it.
Storywise, I found this an intriguing little story about how the school's principal finding it necessary to cut-out the girls' basketball team due to budget cuts and the girls on that team desperately wanting to save it as they (and their new coach) use basketball as an escape from their inner-city life.
To sum up my review, the subject matter was awesome and inspiring. It's also sad that this film doesn't have much publicity as other films that aren't worth watching. As I previously stated, this movie has that indie feel to it that would be hard to ignore if not for the good acting and choice in cast members. Really, from start to finish, you can tell all throughout the movie that it's a low-budget independent movie.
I love this so much that I want to give it a full 10 score but it is losing a point from my vote for its low quality but kudos to the cast and producers.