Sunset Park (1996)

A white school teacher takes over a talented, but undisciplined black high school basketball team and turns them into a winning team.

Director:

Steve Gomer

Writers:

Seth Zvi Rosenfeld, Kathleen McGhee-Anderson

Stars:

Rhea Perlman, Fredro Starr, Carol Kane

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Rhea Perlman	...	Phyllis Saroka
Fredro Starr	...	Shorty
Carol Kane	...	Mona
Terrence Howard	...	Spaceman (as Terrence DaShon Howard)
Camille Saviola	...	Barbara
De'aundre Bonds	...	Busy-Bee
Talent Harris	...	Butter (as James Harris)
Anthony C. Hall	...	Andre (as Anthony Hall)
Antwon Tanner	...	Drano
Shawn Michael Howard	...	Kurt
Guy Torry	...	Boo Man
Scott Burkholder	...	Morris Bernstein
John Aprea	...	Dominic
John Vargas	...	Mr. Santiago
Rhonda Stubbins White	...	Carla

Storyline

A white school teacher takes over a talented, but undisciplined black high school basketball team and turns them into a winning team.

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Plot Keywords:

female coach | basketball ball | locker room | basketball player | two word title | 

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Taglines:

You gotta represent.

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Genres:

Drama | Sport

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some language and sexual references

Did You Know?

Trivia

Fredro Starr's cousin Sticky Fingaz was cast as Drano before Antwon Tanner was given the role.

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Quotes

Shorty, Spaceman, Butter, Drano: Sunset Park, hat time is it?
Shorty, Spaceman, Butter, Drano: It's time to get live! It's time to represent!
Shorty, Spaceman, Butter, Drano: Sunset Park, hat time is it?
Shorty, Spaceman, Butter, Drano: It's time to get live! It's time to represent!
Shorty: I throw the ball to Butter, blam, 360 slam
Shorty: Spaceman, he comes down with the jam
Shorty: Drano, yo, he goes back further
Shorty: With the three, swish, it's all murder!
Shorty: Come on down to the Sunset Park
Shorty: Get busy, we will take you to the dark
[...]

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Connections

Featured in At the Movies: Mulholland Falls/Sunset Park/The Truth About Cats and Dogs/I Shot Andy Warhol/Wings of Courage (1996)

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Soundtracks

Thangz Changed
Written by Fredro Starr (as Fredro Scruggs), Sticky Fingaz (as Kirk Jones),
Sonee Seeza (as Tyrone Taylor)
Produced and Performed by Onyx
Courtesy of JMJ/RAL/Def Jam Records

User Reviews

A Really Good, Honest, Completely Un-Corny "Hoop Dreams"-like Movie

I really liked this film a lot and I'm extremely disappointed that so many people seem to disagree. I have to admit, I wasn't too interested when I first heard the synopsis -- but "Sunset Park" isn't cornball or predictable like the storyline (or some of the other reviewers) seem to suggest. It's actually a very nuanced, complex, honest, funny, intelligent film. Scenes almost never end the way you expect them to. The coach is NOT a knight in shining armor like so many of the teachers you see in those heroic, one teacher can save the world movies. She is real and complex and has hang-ups and problems (mostly involving men and failure). The basketball players are also all amazingly convincing as genuine adolescent athletes. Their acting is flawlessly natural, almost documentary-like. Their characters have depth and humor and wit. I really became attached to them by the end of the movie and wanted to know more about them and their lives. I can honestly say I didn't want the film to end -- it's a pity that there probably won't be any sequels.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 April 1996 (USA)

Also Known As:

Sunset Park

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$4,705,440, 28 April 1996

Gross USA:

$10,163,782

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$10,163,782

Company Credits

Production Co:

TriStar Pictures, Daniel L. Paulson Productions, Jersey Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Sound Mix:

SDDS Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1