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Love and Basketball (2000)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:86
Fresh:70
Rotten:16
Average Rating:6.6/10
Consensus: Confident directing and acting deliver an insightful look at young athletes.
Runtime: 2 hrs 7 mins
Genre: Dramas
Synopsis: LOVE AND BASKETBALL is the powerful story of two next-door neighbors in Los Angeles who grow up loving basketball and, eventually, each other. Monica (Sanaa Lathan) and Quincy (Omar Epps) have... [More]
Starring: Sanaa Lathan, Omar Epps, Alfre Woodard, Dennis Haysbert
Director: Gina Prince-Bythewood
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Reviews for Love and Basketball
| Tomatometer | Critic | Review | Category |
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 3/5 |
This romantic drama from writer-director Gina Prince-Bythewood is well-acted. Full Review |
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The surprise element here is that the film takes Monica's career, and her love of the game, as seriously, probably more seriously, than it does Quincy's. Full Review |
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Told largely from the point of view of the woman, this career-versus-love story still develops the perspective of the man persuasively, as Sanaa Lathan and Omar Epps reveal their characters' motives with nuances of expression that transcend the dialogue. Full Review |
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The pic is so well directed and lead performance by Sanaa Lathan so charismatic that audiences will overlook the script's flaws and root for the central duo. Full Review |
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Stylishly shot and bursting with visual and sexual energy, this is confident black women's film-making and an eloquent tribute to the girl with the permanently grazed knees -- and about time too. Full Review |
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B |
Satisfying, enjoyable and smart. Full Review |
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B |
Thanks to Spike Lee's production company for giving a talented newcomer a good start. Full Review |
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Mawkishly heartfelt, but actress Sanaa Lathan performs as if she were lit from within. Full Review |
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 0/4 |
Click to read the article Full Review |
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3/4 |
An unusual but engaging mix of the overwrought and the understated, a picture that, at two hours plus, keeps threatening to overstay its welcome and yet always pulls us back into its conversational orbit. Full Review |
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It's a fine example of a conventionally made picture which follows all the rules yet still emerges as fresh and original. Full Review |
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Prince-Bythewood, a first-time feature filmmaker out of UCLA's film school, tells a story that is at once warm and heartfelt -- and often funny as well. Full Review |
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3/4 |
The chemistry between the two stars is exactly right. They are entirely believable as friends, as rivals and as lovers -- a tricky combination for any acting pair. Full Review |
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Click to read the article Full Review |
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3/5 |
This film does at least feature superior acting and a solid script. Full Review |
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The humor is terrific, the cinematography has a burnished glow, and the score is lush. Full Review |
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3.5/5 |
This one has crossover hit written all over it. Full Review |
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A sweet tale. Full Review |
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The most passionate, clear-sighted movie ever made about women in sports. Full Review |
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Love and Basketball never really reconciles the two elements of its title and ultimately basketball is forced to take a backseat to love. Full Review |
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