The Heart Of The Game (USA, director Ward Serrill): A documentary about high-school basketball that took seven years to make, this film will be compared to Steve James’s Hoop Dreams, which is a high compliment indeed. But the films are different.
Serrill began following the girls’ basketball team at Seattle’s Roosevelt High School when they hired a new coach, tax law professor Bill Resler. Not expected to make much of an impact, Resler proceeded to build a powerhouse in his first year at the job. An eccentric but effective motivator, he chose a different “theme” for his team each year: Pack of Wolves, Pride of Lions, Tropical Storm, and then whipped his players into a frenzy. His motivational skills and his ruthless physical workouts gave the team the confidence and endurance to beat their opponents, even when they were bigger, taller, or more talented.
In his second year at the job, he noticed a young freshman by the name of Darnelia Russell. She stood out for a number of reasons. She had been an outstanding basketball player at her middle school. And she was black. At Roosevelt, in a privileged suburb of Seattle, black students were a minority, unlike at inner-city schools like arch-rival Garfield. In fact, when he tried to recruit her for his team, she rebuffed him at first, admitting to her friends that she wasn’t used to being around so many white people. Her presence at Roosevelt was the combined idea of her middle school coach and her mother, who wanted to keep her out of trouble and make sure she got an excellent education.
Her arrival helps Resler build Roosevelt into a city dynasty and a threat at the state championships. But there are ups and downs. And if you wonder why the film took seven years to make, Serrill admitted that he just filmed everything and waited for the story to emerge.
Although the film touches on a few issues of race and class, Serrill says he wanted to make it more about the basketball, and there are generous clips of games, even from major network coverage. Although it give the film much of its energy, I felt myself wishing there were a few more interviews with players, especially Darnelia, who emerges as a central character in the story. We never really get to know her as anything other than a great basketball player.
That being said, it’s a documentary about sports, so I’m predisposed to like it. There is real drama and excitement, both on and off the court, and it’s also good to see the contribution of people like Bill Resler recognized, a good man who is instilling not just a love of winning, but of playing, and living. As the credits rolled, it was endearing to see that a few of the songs were actually composed and played by Resler, on guitar and vocals, with director Serrill on harmonica. I’m giving this 8.5, even though my graphic doesn’t show half-points.
Film’s Web Site: http://www.heartofthegame.org
(8.5/10)
a little erroneous to say Roosevelt doesnt have black faces–I coached the guys team there for 12 years and we won state and had 3 white kids on the team … it is prob now lesser than that african amercian wise, but it sure isnt Highland Park, Texas, which you intimated … check your facts before making such a ridiculous statement
Thanks for your comment, and your correction. But as you’d see from the rest of my reviews, these were all written late at night after a full day of watching films. The nice thing about web reviews is that they can be corrected. Which I have done. I hope maybe you’ll post another, less angry comment and let me know what you thought of the film. I was also unclear about the reference to Highland Park, Texas. Please fill me in.
You wrote: “At Roosevelt, in a privileged suburb of Seattle”….
Yet earlier you quoted the official film blurb: “Seattle’s Roosevelt High School”.
Newsflash! Roosevelt is a NEIGHBORHOOD in Seattle. It is not a suburb! As a matter of fact, there are two Seattle high schools between it and the suburb on its northern border (they being Ingraham and Nathan Hale). This is something you could have easily found out by checking out the school district website, or by looking at a map. (note this is a reaction provoked by a music school promoting itself as “Marrowstone in the City”, when the closest it gets to a “city” is Shoreline or Bellevue… I just call it “Marrowstone in the Burbs”).
Also, how “privileged” is a neighborhood when a house less than a block away is raided by the FBI for selling guns? See http://komotv.com/news/story.asp?ID=35278 .
The most defining part of that area of the city is the influence of the nearby univerity. Many of the professors try to live nearby, and often they have kids… who attend the schools nearby. Take a note of what the profession of the coach is. Also, check out a map of the city to see where a large state university is compared to the location of the Roosevelt neighborhood and Roosevelt Ave. (use Mapquest or Google Earth).
Oh, wait… all you had to do was to actually read the publicity prose when it said “Seattle’s Roosevelt High School”.
Don’t forget the attorney that made it all happen by winning the lawsuit…..probono also
Only in America can a young black girl who lost one year of high school sports because she couldn’t keep her legs together sue for and win a fifth year of eligability then have a movie made on her life like she’s some kind of hero or role model. Very sad, very sad indeed.
Wow. Very sad indeed that you are such a hateful person. The movie was not strictly “about” Darnelia nor do I think she is made to look like a hero(ine). The issue here is that this sort of thing would never happen to a male athlete. I think the film was honest in its portrayal of the challenges she went through. Forcing her to have an abortion would have been a better outcome?
I’m really quite surprised by all the negative comments about this film. I’m baffled, really.
Just saw the film last night. Thought so much of it I’m getting a copy and sending to my son who plays college ball. Love to watch dedicated, hard working kids. To me, giving Darnelia a second chance shouldn’t have even been disputed from the start…just dumb to argue that she shouldn’t have a second chance.
Just saw the film on flight from NYC to Atlanta. Very impressed…much to talk about and discuss. I will rent it to show my kids. Many positive messages, some encouraging and some warning. Encouraging: team spirit, dedicated coaching, persevering through adversity, etc. Warning: all the black men in the movie were negative role models: Darnellia’s father was in jail, her boyfriend got her pregnant. The personal coach committed statutory rape. Obviously not all black men are like this but it sure gives one pause. The black women were all positive models: Darnellia, her mother, the Buldog’s coach. With black men abdicating their responsibilities the women have to step up.
One of the callers in the radio talk show asked about the family priorities. “Who is taking care of the baby?” Darnellia says she has “lots of help” — which is good — but the caller’s point about priorities can’t be ignored.
Lots to talk about with my kids.
So the family is prioritizing Darnellia’s only chance to go to college? And that is somehow questionable? She has the love and support of her family, who want her to succeed and help her do so. Is the caller expecting that because Darnellia had a baby, she should give up school , give up basketball, and stay at home 24/7 with her baby? The caller might have a problem with all those working mothers out there….clearly they have their priorities in the wrong place too, right? But anyway, to me it seems as if Darnellia’s baby is going to grow up with a lot of people around her that love and care for her, and hopefully she will have a mom with a college education who can get a steady job and provide her with a good life.
I also have to disagree that Darnellia’s boyfriend is protrayed as a negative role model. Yes he did get Darnellia pregnant, which sometimes happens in life undexpectedly, but he and his family were both shown in the baby’s life, taking care of her, and helping raise her. It is so easy for the males to shirk the responsibilities of raising a baby, especially when both parents are themselves very young and it is the easy way out, but Darnellia’s boyfriend accepted his responsibility, and helped Darnellia end up graduating from highschool.
I have to say I really enjoyed this movie, and have been telling everyone I know all about it, because I think it really is a unique and fresh look at girls basketball.