More Than A Game MPAA Rating: PG Entertainment: +4 Content: +3

LeBron James, Dru Joyce II. Written by Kristopher Belman, Brad Hogan. Directed by Kristopher Belman.

FILM SYNOPSIS:  Five talented young basketball players from Akron , Ohio are featured in this coming of age documentary about friendship and loyalty in the face of great adversity. Coached by a charismatic but inexperienced player's father, and led by future NBA superstar LeBron James, the "Fab Five's" improbable nine-year journey leads them from a decrepit inner-city gym to the doorstep of a national high school championship. Along the way, the close-knit team is repeatedly tested--both on and off the court--as James' exploding worldwide celebrity threatens to destroy everything they've set out to achieve together. The documentary combines a series of unforgettable one-on-one interviews with rare news footage, never-before-seen home videos, and personal family photographs to bring this heart-wrenching and wholly American story to life.

PREVIEW REVIEW:  I must be honest, I’m not a big fan of most competitive sports – other than women’s volleyball. (We won’t go there.)  In high school, while buddies were going out for football, I expressed myself through theatre, where I fell in love with each of my leading ladies and never had to sweat.  But I’m betting that whether you are a sports enthusiast or more like me, you’ll find More Than A Game a most satisfying movie-going experience.  It’s been called an uplifting version of Hoop Dreams.  Wish I’d said it, for that’s exactly what it is, an uplifting take on urban trials.  It summarizes what’s important in life and spotlights how easy it is to get off track.

We see these young men come up from obscurity, unite as an extended family, and choose to use the sport as a vehicle.  As their coach offers them at the film’s opening, “use it, don’t let it use you.”  When fame starts to take center stage, these youngsters quickly learn how the spotlight can blind you concerning relationships and derail a dream.  It’s a 90-some minute life lesson: be dedicated, work with others, help others, be humble, be grateful, be forgiving, be strong, and enjoy the ride.

I’ve seen a lot of sports bios as a film reviewer, even enjoyed a few of them, but More Than A Game is one of the best, if not the best.  It exemplifies the true nature of athletics and for us Christians, it offers up sports figures who profess a faith in Christ.  It’s about facing adversities, it’s about fathers and sons, it’s even about faith.  Clean, insightful and entertaining, More Than A Game may even make a sports fan out of me.

Preview Reviewer: Phil Boatwright
Distributor: Lionsgate