jon grife:

i liked this movie. it is entertaining. the main thrust of the movie is footage that demonstrates that lebron was a human highlight reel in high school. emphasis is also placed on the fact that he and his teammates were very close, having played together since their childhoods. lebron’s father was not around and many of his friends came from broken families. his coaches and friends were his stable family. i’m very happy that the kids were successful but kids definitely pay a price when constant competition takes away from other important developmental experiences. the father’s overbearing coaching style: insisting that his son be perfect really seemed to border on sadism but i understand that this is a byproduct of fierce competitive activities. i’m glad lebtron has become wealthy playing basketball. i hope that he has the wisdom and insight to use his wealth and influence to have a positive effect on the struggling black community. i hope black children understand that there are much better role models for them. you really wonder whether athletic super-stars understand that much of the source of their greatness comes from the one who gave them size and strength. i worry that many athletes fall into the trap of worshiping the work of their own hands. the coach said at one point in the movie that he realized that he was failing to teach his players character. nevertheless there isn’t any evidence that he did this. just because they won a national high school title isn’t evidence that they were shown the big picture and were given time to reflect on more important values that would help them be successful and fulfilled in the real world outside of the gym.
Rating: 3 / 5

E. Smit:

A great movie to watch with the whole family. My son picked it off the local video store shelf, just stumbled upon it while looking for something to watch. He is a big Cav’s and LeBron fan already, so he was happily surprised with his find. I am not a huge b-ball fan, at least not since I was a kid and followed the Buffalo Braves! Anyway, I was mesmerized. You couldn’t fabricate a better story. We were all on the edges of our seats, and it is a documentary! Just wish I hadn’t missed all this when it happened. Wow! What a fantastic, and inspirational tale. My boys have new heros, and they came from the hood in Akron! Thank you for making this film. Wonderful stuff. We are attending our first Cavs game on 4/6/10..better late than never!!
Rating: 5 / 5