Love And Basketball (2000) parents guide

Love And Basketball (2000) Parent Guide

Overall C+

Although the ending is contrived, first-time writer/director Gina Prince manages to create well-rounded characters, including thoughtful parents. Rare qualities indeed compared to the many trite and shallow teen dramas recently brought to the screen.

Release date April 21, 2000

Violence B
Sexual Content C-
Profanity C-
Substance Use B-

Why is Love And Basketball (2000) rated PG-13? The MPAA rated Love And Basketball (2000) PG-13 for sexuality and language

Run Time: 124 minutes

Parent Movie Review

When young Monica Wright (Kyla Pratt/Sanaa Lathan) moves next door to Quincy McCall (Glenndon Chatman/Omar Epps), son of NBA star Zeke McCall (Dennis Haysbert), she never suspects their first meeting will leave a mark on her life forever. Determined to show Quincy that girls really can play basketball, she gets her face planted in the ground before the end of the first quarter.

Love And Basketball - Official site But basketball is not eleven-year-old Qunicy’s only talent. The budding womanizer manages to get a kiss out of Monica before the bandages are even off. By the time he’s in high school, virtually every female student (except for the one living next door) is vying for his affection. His mother (Debbi Morgan), worried these girls will take advantage of his financial affluence, pleads with him to control his sexual pursuits, and his dad begs him to make education a greater priority.

While Quincy likes basketball, Monica lives it. Determined to be the first woman in the NBA, she plays the sport like a lion hunts food, ignoring her mother’s (Alfre Woodard) determination to make her into a lady. As the end of the season approaches, Monica becomes ever more driven, aware of the college basketball scouts eyeing her every move.

Love And Basketball - Official site Then one fateful night Monica puts her Nikes away to accept a date arranged by her older sister Lena (Regina Hall), and attracts an unexpected opponent—Quincy. With her defenses down, the years of casual acquaintance burst into a night of romance providing Monica her first sexual experience and redefining the relationship between them. Now she is faced with a new dilemma: choosing between her man and the game.

Although the ending is contrived, first-time writer/director Gina Prince manages to create well-rounded characters, including thoughtful parents. Rare qualities indeed compared to the many trite and shallow teen dramas recently brought to the screen.

Love And Basketball - Official site However, parents should be warned that this film contains many fouls. Language is often frank with mild to moderate profanities, sexual terms are used throughout, and a sexual expletive is used once. You could also argue that Monica is foolish to engage in sex with Quincy, especially considering his lack of concern with morals (although this politically correct movie makes an obvious point of letting us know they use a condom during the nearly nude scene). Later, a game of strip basketball provides us with a rear view of Quincy.

Although I can’t recommend it for family viewing, if parents have older teens interested in this film, they should preview it first and decide if the heartwarming and interesting moments developed through Quincy’s dad and Monica’s mother, warrant using this film to start some valuable discussions. Otherwise, without parental guidance, it may just be another film that teaches teens that sexual relationships prior to marriage are of no significant consequence.

Starring Omar Epps, Sanaa Lathan. Running time: 124 minutes. Theatrical release April 21, 2000. Updated

Love And Basketball (2000) Parents' Guide

Considering the many sexual relationships Quincy had, what kind of personality does he display compared to Monica’s? What risks, both physical and emotional, did she accept when she had sex with him? What risks, if any, did Quincy take? Do you believe the end of the movie is realistic? If you could add another ten years to the lives of these characters, where do you think they would be?

Quincy becomes angry when his father Zeke, finally makes a confession to him. Was his dad justified in holding back the truth from Quincy? What was harder for Quincy: The fact that his father took so long to be honest, or the offence itself? How did this experience change their relationship? Does understanding Zeke’s past explain his distaste for NBA life and his desire to see Quincy explore other options, including education?

Monica felt that her mother didn’t support her because she never came to her games. Her mother felt she was very supportive by maintaining their home, making meals, and doing the laundry. Consider the many different ways parents and children can support each other. Do we sometimes do things for other people, only to discover that they were expecting our help in an entirely different way? Why is it important to express our feelings without waiting as long as Monica did?

Home Video

Related home video titles:

For other movies that examine the love of a sport and the toll it can take on someone’s personal life, check out our reviews of Searching For Bobby Fischer , and For Love Of The Game . Another movie that addresses the differences between men and women’s professional sports is A League Of Their Own .