NBA Legend Gets Bland Biopic



NBA Legend Gets Bland Biopic

Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton fundamentally changed the game of basketball as one of the NBA’s first Black players. His spectacular skill on court matched a towering figure who waited years in segregated America for a professional shot. It’s borderline tragic that his titular biopic fails to capture the essence of a pivotal moment in sports history. Sweetwater ticks every box to his story like a Wikipedia summary. We get the important details and see the hideous racism he faced, but it’s delivered with a bland execution that isn’t indicative of an extraordinary man.

In 1949 New York City, Abe Saperstein (Kevin Pollak), owner and coach of the Harlem Globetrotters, arranges an exhibition game with the NBA champion Minneapolis Lakers. New York Knicks owner Ned Irish (Cary Elwes) and his coach, Joe Lapchick (Jeremy Piven), watch as the Lakers get pulverized. The Black Globetrotters were clearly more talented and innovative. Sweetwater Clifton (Everett Osborne) steals the show with athletic grace.

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAYSCROLL TO CONTINUE WITH CONTENT

The Globetrotters get on their rickety bus to play expedition games with upstate farm teams. They run out of gas but aren’t allowed to refill at a nearby station. The racist owner (Eric Roberts) makes it clear with his shotgun that Black people didn’t belong. The team gets the same disgusting treatment while trying to get hotel rooms. A magician with a monkey was allowed but “negroes” weren’t.

The Best Talent

Briarcliff Entertainment

Meanwhile, Joe implores Ned, who also owned Madison Square Garden, to secure Sweetwater’s contract. He was undoubtedly the world’s best player. Ned makes his plan known to the other owners with fierce resistance. NBA Commissioner Maurice Podoloff (Richard Dreyfuss) warns they shouldn’t vote on such a divisive issue. The “whites only” faction wins by a slim margin. But the matter isn’t settled. Ned notes that the bylaws do not stipulate a player’s color. Basketball, just like Jackie Robinson in baseball, must field the best talent.

Writer/director Martin Guigui (Paradise Cove, The Bronx Bull) spends an inordinate amount of time away from the protagonist. The wheeling and dealing off court is meant to show the stark inequality for Black people in America. Segregation’s ugly tentacles reached every corner. Abe paid the opposing white team a higher rate to lose. A Black man can get killed for trying to pump gas. Standing up to systemic oppression meant real danger. This point is made repeatedly and understood. What’s sorely missing is actual depth into Sweetwater’s character beyond the superficial. He’s depicted as mostly reactionary to events controlling his fate.

Related: Best Sports Biopics of All Time, Ranked

The basketball scenes are uneven. The Globetrotters’ razzle dazzle theatrics outmatch the dull NBA games to a fault. This was meant to show a near laughable competitive disparity. It’s an overblown portrayal that makes Sweetwater’s professional debut seem tame in comparison. Guigui needed realism and creative camera work to make the games exciting. It’s disappointing that we don’t get more of Sweetwater’s dominating gameplay.

Sweetwater Lacks Energy

The film’s lack of energy puzzles. A good veteran ensemble cast and captivating true story never comes together as it should. It’s a shame, considering Sweetwater paved the way for titans to come. There’s no Oscar Robertson, Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain, or Michael Jordan without him.

Sweetwater is a production of Sunset Pictures and Reserve Entertainment. It will have a theatrical release on April 14th from Briarcliff Entertainment.

You can view the original article HERE.

N.Y. Assemblyman Introduces ‘Peanut’s Law,’ Says Investigation Request Ignored
N.Y. Assemblyman Introduces ‘Peanut’s Law,’ Says Investigation Request Ignored
‘B.M.F.’ Big Meech Gets Porcelain Veneers After Prison Bid
‘B.M.F.’ Big Meech Gets Porcelain Veneers After Prison Bid
How TV news anchors gear up for election night
How TV news anchors gear up for election night
NBA Reopens Jaxson Hayes Investigation After TMZ Video of 2021 Incident
NBA Reopens Jaxson Hayes Investigation After TMZ Video of 2021 Incident
Nothing Left to Prove: Quincy Jones (1933-2024) | Tributes
Nothing Left to Prove: Quincy Jones (1933-2024) | Tributes
Daryl Dixon – The Book of Carol Ending, Explained
Daryl Dixon – The Book of Carol Ending, Explained
Every TV Series Coming to Major Streaming Services in November 2024
Every TV Series Coming to Major Streaming Services in November 2024
The Unloved, Part 131: Dark City | MZS
The Unloved, Part 131: Dark City | MZS
I was crying at a certain point because I felt that I had hurt him
I was crying at a certain point because I felt that I had hurt him
Gina Zollman To Perform Her Show “ORI gina LS” At The Arthur Newman Theatre, Palm Desert, CA, Sunday 11/24/24
Gina Zollman To Perform Her Show “ORI gina LS” At The Arthur Newman Theatre, Palm Desert, CA, Sunday 11/24/24
Iggy Pop announces “landmark” 2025 London and Glasgow shows
Iggy Pop announces “landmark” 2025 London and Glasgow shows
Watch Fontaines D.C. sing Antonio Vega’s ‘Tesoros’ in Spanish in Madrid
Watch Fontaines D.C. sing Antonio Vega’s ‘Tesoros’ in Spanish in Madrid
The 3 Biggest Scandals in Sports History
The 3 Biggest Scandals in Sports History
Kiss918 on the Edge: Pushing the Boundaries of Digital Casino Innovation
Kiss918 on the Edge: Pushing the Boundaries of Digital Casino Innovation
Patriots’ Maye clears concussion protocol, will play vs. Titans
Patriots’ Maye clears concussion protocol, will play vs. Titans
Silver: NBA looking at ‘other formats’ for 2025 ASG
Silver: NBA looking at ‘other formats’ for 2025 ASG
The End Trailer Arrives for 2024’s Most Audacious Film
The End Trailer Arrives for 2024’s Most Audacious Film
Taylor Sheridan is Correct: Critics Have Become Irrelevant
Taylor Sheridan is Correct: Critics Have Become Irrelevant
Silence of the Lambs Influenced Daisy Ridley’s New Movie Magpie
Silence of the Lambs Influenced Daisy Ridley’s New Movie Magpie
Emilia Clarke’s ‘The Night Before Christmas in Wonderland’ Gets Release Date
Emilia Clarke’s ‘The Night Before Christmas in Wonderland’ Gets Release Date
Banana Republic’s Holiday Campaign, Burberry’s Stock Rises
Banana Republic’s Holiday Campaign, Burberry’s Stock Rises
The Best-Dressed Stars at LACMA Art + Film Gala 2024
The Best-Dressed Stars at LACMA Art + Film Gala 2024
Beauty Made In Italy Brings A Big Crowd To The West Hollywood EDITION Hotel
Beauty Made In Italy Brings A Big Crowd To The West Hollywood EDITION Hotel
The Best-Dressed Stars At The 2024 WSJ Innovator Awards
The Best-Dressed Stars At The 2024 WSJ Innovator Awards