HE GOT GAME (53)

Directed by: Spike Lee

Starring: Denzel Washington, Ray Allen, Milla Jovovich, Bill Nunn

The Pitch: A convict is promised a reduced sentence if he can persuade his son - a high-school basketball star, aggressively courted by several colleges - to sign up with the Governor's alma mater.

Theo Sez: Turgid stuff, one of Lee's worst films - though it's obviously my fault, given that I actively dislike basketball (a claustrophobic game with contorted, unnatural movements, the very opposite of soccer) ; it's a problem, both because the film's plot hinges on the sport and, more crucially, because it mythologises it, elevating it to a kind of universal ur-game, a Great Leveller (as implied by the opening credits), bonding ritual and all-purpose metaphor. Lee retains his feel for family dynamics and irresistible ear for colourful dialogue ("I just wanna wet my beak a little bit," says a greedy relative) but, star-struck, he does stupid things like an over-extended montage of basketball celebs playing themselves, or a needless bit of shilling for Nike's absurdly overpriced product ; above all, energised by his lofty subject, he cranks up an already overheated style to Oliver Stone levels (will SUMMER OF SAM be his NATURAL BORN KILLERS?), totally swamping the small human story at the film's core. What's left is mostly contrasts, visual and aural - Aaron Copland versus Public Enemy, the natural light and space of Coney Island (breathtakingly lovely opening pan) versus cramped interiors with Day-Glo colours, frequent cuts from a quiet moment straight to the blare of a song or TV program - done in a jagged, busy style, often repeating bits of business or cutting (rather pointlessly) to a two-second shot of whatever the characters are talking about. Washington's dignified performance helps, Allen's one-note turn (in a too-virtuous role) rather less so ; it's got personality, and moments of great power - but when a pivotal scene is played with green faces against a blood-red background you begin to feel someone's been ODing on the visual possibilities.