He Got Game

REVIEW
In one of his most accomplished screen portrayals, Washington plays Jake, a man serving a lengthy prison term for killing his wife. Jake is released for one week to try to convince his estranged son Jesus (Allen), a nationally known high school basketball prodigy, to accept a scholarship at the governor's alma mater, in exchange for a shortened sentence. This pulpy, almost high-concept idea is given the customary intense yet loose treatment by director Lee. A healthy cynisicm permeates the entire film, with coaches, colleges, family and friends all trying to get a piece of the young ballplayer. Jesus struggles to make "the most important decision of his life," as everyone constantly reminds him, while being forced to come to terms with his father, whom he despises. Beautifully edited, long but compelling and fast-paced, the only negative of the film is the less-than-defined characterizations of the women -- something Lee must address in future films. The performances are uniformly good, with a surprisingly natural turn from real-life NBA star Allen.