When describing this film, Jerry Maguire kept coming to mind. There a sports agent loses his job and has to put all his efforts into one client. Here, it's a well respected, but tired basketball scout, with aspirations of coaching, who has to suffer having his dreams pulled from him and ends up putting all his hope on one promising basketball player to change his life around. As a buddy movie, this is Sandler and Hernangomez butting heads to bring out the best in each other. In a film that has the comedic talents of Sandler and Latifah, this is a serious sports film, emphasis on the sport. Given it's produced by
LeBron James and Maverick Carter, that's no surprise, and the court scenes play out like they should be on ESPN. Even Sugarmans (Sandlers) daughter Jordan (Alex) - a film school student - is able to shoot ball with amazing skill.
Probably the only character who feels wooden here is Ben Fosters Vince Merrick, who acts like a little child in a room of adults when watching the games. He's trying to prove himself, but in the fast paced action, it slows the action down.
If I had any reservation, it's that the chemistry between Sandler and Latifah is lacking compared to some of his comedy films. Given what happens to family man Sandler, she seems very restrained about his actions.
There are some big name basketball cameos, both playing and talking, adding in universe weight to the action. The sound track keeps the movement flowing, and helps with the inevitable montage scenes; every sports film needs training montages to show things progressing, and that's the best reason to watch this film.
Probably the only character who feels wooden here is Ben Fosters Vince Merrick, who acts like a little child in a room of adults when watching the games. He's trying to prove himself, but in the fast paced action, it slows the action down.
If I had any reservation, it's that the chemistry between Sandler and Latifah is lacking compared to some of his comedy films. Given what happens to family man Sandler, she seems very restrained about his actions.
There are some big name basketball cameos, both playing and talking, adding in universe weight to the action. The sound track keeps the movement flowing, and helps with the inevitable montage scenes; every sports film needs training montages to show things progressing, and that's the best reason to watch this film.