There are a few films I’ve seen over the years that are treasures I just can’t wait to tell other people about. One of those special films is a documentary called Hoop Dreams. This was my introduction to documentaries after Siskel & Ebert tirelessly advocated for it on their show. At first I was drawn to it because I was a basketball player myself at the time. While basketball is the backdrop of the story, you don’t have to be a hoops fan to appreciate Steve James’ ambitious documentary. Here are five reasons to see it.
1. It runs nearly three hours and every second is worth your time.
No good movie is ever long enough. And no bad movie is ever short enough. If the nearly three hour running time of Hoop Dreams gives you pause, let me reassure you that watching it is time well spent. The filmmakers spent five years with William Gates, Arthur Agee and their families. What started out as a 30-minute project for PBS about multiple players on one court evolved into a riveting human odyssey. During those five years, 250 hours of footage was shot. The three hours we get is a riveting portrait of two young men, their families, inner city life and the struggles of pursuing a professional sports career.
2. Its empathetic tone is refreshing.
Hoop Dreams is a shining example of what movies can be, not just documentaries. Far too often in the movies, African Americans are portrayed in broad stereotypes. The filmmakers behind Hoop Dreams received complete access to the families. That access allows viewers to see beyond the headlines and see a far too often marginalized segment of society as complete human beings. In the social media age we spend so much time tearing each other down and dehumanize one another. Hoop Dreams has a deeply empathetic tone that’s even more refreshing than it was back in 1994. By the time the credits role you want to known where Gates and Agee are now. That’s how emotionally invested you get.
3. It’s about so much more than basketball.
Hoops Dreams follows inner city kids William Gates and Arthur Agee as they pursue NBA careers. But to say it’s just a documentary about basketball does Hoop Dreams a huge disservice. It’s a complete portrait of Gates, Agee and their families. We see first hand how the families struggle to put food on the table, the struggles of Gates and Agee in the classroom and on the court and the struggles of inner city life. There’s a scene where one of the protagonists is shooting free throws. One of the most mundane of things becomes riveting. We know not just what those free throws mean to the outcome of the game, but on a much deeper level what the free throws will mean to the player and his family.
4. You can watch it with the whole family.
Another reading Hoop Dreams is special is that is has something for the whole family. There aren’t too many movies, let alone documentaries, I can say that about. Parents will relate to the parenting struggles and wonder what they would do in the various situations. Kids will relate to wanting a dream so bad you would invest in pursuing it to the bitter end. There’s plenty for everyone to discuss afterwards.
5. It transcends the documentary genre.
Many no doubt hear the term documentary and back off, assuming it will be dry statistics and talking heads. That is not the case with Hoop Dreams. It’s a documentary packed with human drama that you can’t turn away from. There are so many twists and turns in this story you don’t see coming. It’s a riveting drama about American life and brings societal issues to the forefront that we’re still dealing with in 2023. Hoop Dreams transcends its genre on so many levels. It’s a treasure. There simply aren’t enough superlatives in the dictionary to describe it.
Film Perspective 