He Got Game

R

Released Apr 25, 1998

2 hr. 14 min.

Drama

List

80%

66 Reviews

Tomatometer

83%

25,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Jake Shuttleworth (Denzel Washington) has spent the last six years in prison after accidentally killing his wife during a violent domestic dispute, leaving his son, star basketball prospect Jesus Shuttleworth (Ray Allen), to fend for himself. One day, the prison warden (Ned Beatty) approaches Jake with an unusual offer: He'll be given a week of parole to convince Jesus to attend the governor's alma mater, with the promise of a shortened sentence if he succeeds.

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Critics Consensus

Though not without its flaws, He Got Game finds Spike Lee near the top of his game, combining trenchant commentary with his signature visuals and a strong performance from Denzel Washington.

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Adam v

meh. like I've seen worst...but.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

03/20/24

Full Review

Audience Member

Not one of Spike Lee's better films in my opinion Washington makes a great presence though

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

05/01/23

Full Review

William M

Spike Lee, and Denzel Washington, at their absolute finest. A truly excellent film.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

08/20/22

Full Review

Audience Member

Denzel holds down the part as a dad in prison trying to strike a deal with son. What doesn't hold is Ray Allen as an actor, super long sequences that we *think* are supposed to have underlying meaning, and sideways roles of women.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/12/23

Full Review

kevin c

Denzel Washington plays a convict released from prison specifically to convince his estranged son, who is a standout basketball player to go to college in order to take time off his sentence. Ray Allen plays his basketball prodigy son Jesus. Directed by Spike Lee, this also features a great performance from Milla Jovovich as a prostitute that befriends Washington. Rosario Dawson costars.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

dave s

Spike Lee's He Got Game has all of the trademark Spike Lee excesses that makes you either love or hate his films. The movie is filled with jarring flashbacks, odd editing choices, countless characters talking directly to the camera, lengthy soliloquys, etc. that, within the first few minutes, identify it clearly as a Spike Lee exercise. Jake Shuttlesworth (Denzel Washington) is a convicted murderer who is given a temporary release from prison in order to convince his estranged son (Ray Allen) to accept a basketball scholarship at the governor's alma mater. What starts as a selfish journey ultimately turns into a father's quest to right the wrongs of the past and reestablish the bonds of family with his son and daughter. As could be expected, the movie jumps all over the place and, as could also be expected, it's a film that is very much, as mentioned earlier, a love it or hate it exercise.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

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Spike Lee

Director

Denzel Washington

Jake Shuttlesworth

Ray Allen

Jesus Shuttlesworth

Milla Jovovich

Dakota Burns

Rosario Dawson

Lala Bonilla

Hill Harper

Coleman 'Booger' Sykes

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Michael Rechtshaffen

Hollywood Reporter

As a director, Lee continues to hone his considerable craft and is unafraid to take creative risks along the way.

May 3, 2019

Full Review

Owen Gleiberman

Entertainment Weekly

Rated: B+

Sep 7, 2011

Full Review

Emanuel Levy

Variety

Lacking the moral indignation and militant politics of Lee's former work, this vibrantly colorful father-son melodrama is soft at the center, but it's one of the most accessible films Lee has made and Denzel Washington is terrific.

Rated: B

Mar 25, 2008

Full Review

Lawrence Ware

The Root

“He Got Game” shows that being young, gifted and Black in America is not easy. In fact, if you’re not careful, it can destroy you.

Rated: A

Oct 13, 2023

Full Review

Farah Cheded

A Good Movie To Watch

Transcends the usual limits of the sports drama to become an operatic tale of temptation and forgiveness.

Sep 23, 2023

Full Review

Barbara Shulgasser

Common Sense Media

Spike Lee sports drama has strong language, violence, sex.

Rated: 3/5

May 15, 2020

Full Review

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Synopsis

Jake Shuttleworth (Denzel Washington) has spent the last six years in prison after accidentally killing his wife during a violent domestic dispute, leaving his son, star basketball prospect Jesus Shuttleworth (Ray Allen), to fend for himself. One day, the prison warden (Ned Beatty) approaches Jake with an unusual offer: He'll be given a week of parole to convince Jesus to attend the governor's alma mater, with the promise of a shortened sentence if he succeeds.

Director: Spike Lee
Screenwriter: Spike Lee
Production Co: Touchstone Pictures, 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks
Rating: R
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 25, 1998, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 4, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $21.6M
Sound Mix: Surround

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