Hoop Dreams Movie Review 1994

Exceptional documentary follows two inner-city basketball phenoms' lives through high school as they chase their dreams of playing in the NBA. We meet Arthur Agee and William Gates as they prepare to enter St. Joseph, a predominantly white Catholic school that has offered them partial athletic scholarships. The coach tabs Gates as the "next Isiah Thomas," alluding to the school's most famous alum. There's plenty of game footage, but the more telling and fascinating parts of the film deal with the kids' families and home life. Both players encounter dramatic reversals of fortune on and off the court, demonstrating the incredibly long odds they face.

Distribution

New Line Home Video, 116 N. Robertson Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90048, Phone: (310)854-5811, Fax: (310)854-1824, URL: http://www.newline.com, Remarks: Does not handle retail queries from consumers; contact your local video distributor.

Available on VHS
Running time 169 minutes.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Documentary, Basketball, African America, Teen Angst, Sports Documentaries, 4 Bones

Cast

Arthur Agee, William Gates

Cinematography

Peter Gilbert

Director

Steve James

Producer

Steve James, Frederick Marx, Peter Gilbert, Gordon Quinn, Catherine Allen, Kartemquin Films, KTCA Minneapolis, Fine Line Features

Awards

Directors Guild 1995: Feature Doc. (James); L.A. Film Critics 1994: Feature Doc.; MTV Movie Awards 1995: New Filmmaker (James); Natl. Bd. of Review 1994: Feature Doc., Natl. Film Reg. 2005;; N.Y. Film Critics 1994: Feature Doc.; Natl. Soc. Film Critics 1994: Feature Doc.; Sundance 1994: Aud. Award.