IMDb > He Got Game (1998)
He Got Game
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He Got Game (1998) More at IMDbPro »

Videos (see all 3 NEW)
He Got Game (1998) -- A basketball player's father must try to convince him to go to a college so he can get a shorter sentence.
He Got Game (1998) -- ZuGuide.com - Trailer (Flash)
He Got Game (1998) -- Sinematurk - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
6.8/10   13,261 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 6% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Spike Lee
Writer:
Spike Lee (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for He Got Game on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
1 May 1998 (USA) more
Genre:
Drama | Sport more
Tagline:
The father, the son and the holy game. more
Plot:
A basketball player's father must try to convince him to go to a college so he can get a shorter sentence. full summary | full synopsis
Awards:
9 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(10 articles)
Top Ten Working American Directors
 (From Rope Of Silicon. 7 October 2009, 2:18 AM, PDT)

Top 7 Actors playing Athletes in Sports Films
 (From Scorecard Review. 3 October 2009, 7:30 AM, PDT)

User Comments:
A Great Movie for Anyone Who Plays Ball at Any Level more (109 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Denzel Washington ... Jake Shuttlesworth
Ray Allen ... Jesus Shuttlesworth

Milla Jovovich ... Dakota Burns

Rosario Dawson ... Lala Bonilla

Hill Harper ... Coleman 'Booger' Sykes
Zelda Harris ... Mary Shuttlesworth

Ned Beatty ... Warden Wyatt

Jim Brown ... Spivey

Joseph Lyle Taylor ... Crudup

Bill Nunn ... Uncle Bubba
Michele Shay ... Aunt Sally
Thomas Jefferson Byrd ... Sweetness
Roger Guenveur Smith ... Big Time Willie

John Turturro ... Coach Billy Sunday
Lonette McKee ... Martha Shuttlesworth
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

MPAA:
Rated R for pervasive language, strong sexuality, some drug content and violence.
Runtime:
136 min | Argentina:137 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Dolby Digital | SDDS

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Spike Lee's first film to open at #1 at the US box office. more
Quotes:
Jake Shuttlesworth: [when the clerk sees his ankle monitor] It's arthritis, you know. I got that arthritis thing happenin'.
Sneaker Clerk: Yeah?
Jake Shuttlesworth: Yeah!
Sneaker Clerk: My brother's got the same arthritic condition
Jake Shuttlesworth: Really?
Sneaker Clerk: Only it's on his left ankle. It's goin' around here in Coney Island.
Jake Shuttlesworth: Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's contagious!
Sneaker Clerk: Yeah!
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in "Home Improvement: Taylor Got Game (#8.4)" (1998) more
Soundtrack:
Black Jesus more

FAQ

What high school are the basketball scenes shot in?
more
26 out of 33 people found the following comment useful.
A Great Movie for Anyone Who Plays Ball at Any Level, 17 January 2005
10/10
Author: thekino from United States

I recently watched this movie for the first time, and as a 19 year old black male it spoke to me. However, I can see this being a film that everyone can appreciate. Especially now, with Lebron James and other upcoming HS athletes, you really see the other side of life that only they know.

This movie detailed the life of the #1 basketball star in HS, and the issues he deals with before he announces his plans for the future, further complicated by his father's contingent release from jail.

A GREAT movie, don't let the votes fool you, it's not a 6.5/10, more like 8.5.

Was the above comment useful to you?
more (109 total)

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