MORE THAN A GAME

More Than a Game is like Hoop Dreams but with a happy ending, when one of the kids (LeBron James) becomes the highest-paid athlete in the NBA. And for the rest of his boyhood basketball buddies? Well, they're doing just fine, too.

The group of boys-to-men documented in this entertaining film were unusual in several ways: The four of them (and later five) were best friends as well as basketball teammates from the age of 12. When one chose to go to a mostly-white high school St. Vincent-St. Mary because of the athletic opportunities (rather than choosing to attend the mostly black school that was expected), all the boys decided to stick together as a group decision. These kids were so good that they became national competitors for their age group in their early teens, despite the fact they were from not-very-glamorous Akron, Ohio.

More Than a Game is most invigorating when showing footage of the boys when they are starting out, especially moments from their first big national game where they came from nowhere to make it all the way to the finals. To its credit, the film gives equal attention to the boys in modern interviews and flashbacks, even though it is apparent almost immediately that young LeBron James has that flair and talent early that would make him a huge star even before he finished high school. So, the most crowd pleasing moment in this film would have to be the footage of young Dru Joyce III (his dad was Coach Dru who was with them from the beginning). He was a shrimp on the court in his 'tween years (not even five feet tall), and the crowd and announcers were laughing at his height. But then he starts hitting six... seven... eight three-pointers in a row! Holy smokes! I wasn't the only one in the audience laughing with delight. And judging from the expressions in the crowd watching the game, the masses were already loving these kids.

Director Kristopher Belman explained at the screening that I attended that he did not want to make his film The LeBron James Show. But though Willie McGee, Dru III, Sian Cotton, and (the fifth) Romeo Travis all have compelling stories, it becomes hard to ignore the fact that LeBron James' star shot into the stratosphere as early as his junior year of high school, as the media courted him, the fans crowded him (and his friends), and Sports Illustrated put him on the cover (the first time they did that for a high school athlete).

At one point in the boys' senior year, when they had everything on the line (in the sporting world, at least) James got suspended for taking gifts of sports jerseys, which is strictly against high school rules (no special advantages or gifts can be showered on one student over another). LeBron got suspended for several games, but the rest of the team pulled together, still winning, until the rules relaxed and he was able to be there for the championship (albeit humbled). Now, I'm not the only one that is uncomfortable with the super-stardom thrown in the way of high school boys because they can throw a ball, and I think it is unfortunate that More Than A Game glosses over this controversial part of LeBron's early career. Why not put some research into the uproar that erupted when young LeBron was suddenly driving a $55,000 Hummer to high school, supposedly on a good-faith loan that the bank awarded his erratically-employed single mom?

The story of the Fab Five's enduring loyalty and friendship towards each other indeed shows that basketball can be more than a game. But the pressure of such talented kids to achieve and succeed for the public, the media, and the money, also shows that basketball is definitely more than a game... and not in the warm-fuzzy way. But I guess that is another movie. As it is, More Than a Game is a crowd-pleasing positive portrayal of friendship and sports that just so happens to have a really really happy ending for one of the kids.