Gunnin' for That #1 Spot (2008)
89 %
Reviews Counted: 27 Fresh: 24 Rotten:3 Average Rating: 6.8/10
Consensus:
Beastie Boy Adam Yauch proves his worth as a director with Gunnin' for That #1 Spot, a fun-filled chronicle of the top high school hoopsters of 2006.
Runtime: 1 hr 37 mins
Theatrical Release: Jun 27, 2008 Limited
Synopsis: On the corner of 155th and Frederick Douglas Boulevard in Harlem lies Rucker Park. By appearances, the concrete pavement, anchored on one side by its run down slab bleachers, is no different than any other basketball court in the city, but this is the place where nicknames are indelibly... [More]
Genre: Sports/Recreation
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Reviews
In the opening section of the film, we get to know them through interviews, game footage and scenes of family life. It's here where the film shines, giving us a glimpse into what it's like for young athletes being groomed for the NBA.
Comment
07/11/08
It's a fly-on-the-wall look at eight prodigiously talented kids hooking up to play ball in the big city, and as such, it's a great deal of fun.
07/11/08
Top Critic
A funkier, shallower version of 1994's Hoop Dreams, Beastie Boy Adam Yauch's doc follows eight high school basketball phenoms as they head to Harlem's asphalt mecca, Rucker Park, to take part in 2006's Elite 24 tournament.
07/03/08
Top Critic
Gunnin’ is everything the fatuous, condescending Hoop Dreams was not.
07/02/08
Shining a light on eight of the brightest stars in American high school basketball, Gunnin' for That #1 Spot is a refreshing and thrilling reminder of why we watch and why they play.
06/30/08
I daresay the results would inspire Eisenstein himself to proffer an affirming nod from the great beyond.
06/28/08
Gunnin' for That #1 Spot is a basketball documentary where the climactic game looks like a Hong Kong wire-fu epic.
06/27/08
The film is well shot and edited, backed with a bouncy hip-hop soundtrack and full of pep.
06/27/08
Top Critic
A cool look at superstars-to-be paying respect to Harlem's Rucker Park on their path to hoops greatness.
06/27/08
Top Critic
Director Adam Yauch tricks up this eclectic look at all-star high school basketball with so much cool high-def camera work and showy editing it's sure to satisfy the film's target youth audience's appetite for zippy visuals and swift pacing.
06/27/08
Top Critic
Beastie Boy Adam Yauch shoots and scores with this documentary that follows eight elite high-school basketball players showcasing their skills along with 16 other prospects in an all-star game at Harlem's (in)famous Rucker Park court.
06/27/08
Call it Hoop Daydreams: a whiz-bang frolic through the lives and skills of eight high-school basketball players who dribble, pass and shoot their way into the ultimate city-park game.
06/27/08
Would be more at home on ESPN than the big screen. But B-Ball fans should enjoy it in either venue.
06/27/08
Gunnin’ for That #1 Spot is an on-the-fly record of a memorable moment in basketball history.
06/27/08
Top Critic
A conventional exercise in documentary storytelling, not a rich and incisive assessment of youth and sports cultures.
06/27/08
As sports movies go, Gunnin' never feels the slightest bit hokey, and serves up SportsCenter-worthy clips in high style, along with the unmistakable feel of real life.
06/26/08
Top Critic
Although it isn't a particularly deep look at the world of pressures and performance anxieties faced by high-school phenoms, Gunnin' is a welcome treat to anyone who follows the game closely.
06/26/08
Top Critic
Adam Yauch, Beastie Boy turned documentarian, turns in a crisp, insightful, but emotionally distant look at the best high school basketball players of 2006 with Gunnin' for That #1 Spot.
06/26/08
Top Critic
As a sports film, it doesn’t dig as deep as Hoop Dreams, but Gunnin’ will surely prove as inspiring.
06/26/08
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