LeBron James is considered one of the greatest basketball players in history. He's often compared to Michael Jordan, but this is mainly due to the fact that through endorsement deals and other investments, Jordan and James are the only two NBA players to achieve a billion-dollars. James is currently the all-time top scorer in the NBA. He won four NBA championships, four MVP Awards, two Olympic gold medals and was named an All-Star nineteen times. He was born in 1984 in Akron, Ohio. He's six feet, nine inches. His single mother raised him in poverty. While he was still in elementary school, he began playing basketball for the Northeast Ohio Shooting Stars where he played along side his three best friends who called themselves the "Fab Four." They promised to stay together all through high school.
Based on the 2009 memoir by LeBron James and Buzz Bissinger, this film tells the story of this Fab Four and their high school career, trying to succeed in this one sport. Obviously, it's more of an autobiography of what led to James being drafted to the NBA in 2003. However, it's more apparent that this film, directed by Chris Robinson, is more of a tribute to James' friends who were crucial to his development but who didn't achieve the level of money or fame as he did. Marquis Mookie Cook plays the teenage LeBron James, but it's strange how the first hour of this film doesn't center him as the protagonist. This might be due to Cook not being an actor but more an athlete in real life.
Caleb McLaughlin (Concrete Cowboy and Stranger Things) stars as Dru Joyce III, one of James' best friend and a member of the Fab Four. For the first hour, the film actually positions Dru as more of the protagonist. In real-life, Joyce III only reached a height of six feet. He was nearly a foot shorter than LeBron and overall was the shortest of the Fab Four. As a result, he felt discriminated by high school coaches who thought he would never be as good a player as others taller than him.
The first half is largely about Dru trying to prove himself and overcome the odds. It's also about Dru's bond with his high school coach, that of Keith Dambrot, played by Dermot Mulroney (Scream VI and My Best Friend's Wedding). Instead of being recruited, where a coach goes to the player, Dru has to go to Coach Dambrot and pitch himself, hustling in a way that the others didn't, especially LeBron. The film establishes this potential conflict or contrast. LeBron becomes the super-star, even though it seems as though Dru is the better player or the one working harder of all the Fab Four. That contrast never materializes though. This film more-so downplays LeBron's ability, if only to put some shine on Dru and the others.
Khalil Everage (Cobra Kai) plays Sian Cotton and Avery Wills (Swagger) plays Willie McGee. They are the other two members of the Fab Four. Unfortunately, this film doesn't put that much shine on these two. We see that Sian is the chubby one or the most overweight. We also see that Willie is the eldest of the four. There's also a throwaway line about Willie's parents and where they originated. Otherwise, these two are tag-along characters, not explored to any depth unlike Dru or LeBron.
At the end, the film wants to leave us with this note that LeBron's friendship with all the other members of the Fab Four was the most important thing to him. Yet, by giving short shrift to Sian and Willie, this film undercuts that message. Robinson's direction is focused on depicting their various basketball games, practically play-by-play. Yes, in the beginning, those basketball scenes are about Dru proving himself. Later, those scenes are meant to underscore the Fab Four's cockiness on the court, before their inevitable fall.
The adaptation of Bizzinger's book, which was the basis of Friday Night Lights (2004), did a better job of exploring the ensemble and delving into a panoply of characters. That 2004 film was less about camaraderie and pure friendship. Yet, it sold those ideas better. There was also a lot more tragedy there than here. This film is more about triumph. Yes, there is struggle but this film feels more breezy than heavy.
Rated PG-13 for language and teen drinking.
Running Time: 1 hr. and 55 mins.
Available on Peacock.
