The surprise element here is that the film takes Monica's career, and her love of the game, as seriously, probably more seriously, than it does Quincy's.
Comment
03/24/08
Love and Basketball (2000)
81
%
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work 
Reviews Counted:86
Fresh:70
Rotten:16
Average Rating:6.6/10
Consensus: Confident directing and acting deliver an insightful look at young athletes.
Runtime: 2 hrs 7 mins
Genre: Dramas
Synopsis: LOVE AND BASKETBALL is the powerful story of two next-door neighbors in Los Angeles who grow up loving basketball and, eventually, each other. Monica (Sanaa Lathan) and Quincy (Omar Epps) have... [More]
Starring: Sanaa Lathan, Omar Epps, Alfre Woodard, Dennis Haysbert
Director: Gina Prince-Bythewood
Reviews for Love and Basketball
Top CriticStylishly shot and bursting with visual and sexual energy, this is confident black women's film-making and an eloquent tribute to the girl with the permanently grazed knees -- and about time too.
06/24/06
Top CriticIt's a fine example of a conventionally made picture which follows all the rules yet still emerges as fresh and original.
12/03/02
This film does at least feature superior acting and a solid script.
12/10/01
Falls far short of the challenging film it aspires to be.
01/01/00
Top CriticA little treat of a tale that is exciting, touching and even moving.
01/01/00
Top CriticThis romantic drama from writer-director Gina Prince-Bythewood is well-acted.
08/07/08
Told largely from the point of view of the woman, this career-versus-love story still develops the perspective of the man persuasively, as Sanaa Lathan and Omar Epps reveal their characters' motives with nuances of expression that transcend the dialogue.
03/26/07
The pic is so well directed and lead performance by Sanaa Lathan so charismatic that audiences will overlook the script's flaws and root for the central duo.
03/26/07
Top CriticSatisfying, enjoyable and smart.
07/21/05
Thanks to Spike Lee's production company for giving a talented newcomer a good start.
04/09/05
Mawkishly heartfelt, but actress Sanaa Lathan performs as if she were lit from within.
08/07/04
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08/01/03
An unusual but engaging mix of the overwrought and the understated, a picture that, at two hours plus, keeps threatening to overstay its welcome and yet always pulls us back into its conversational orbit.
12/23/02
Prince-Bythewood, a first-time feature filmmaker out of UCLA's film school, tells a story that is at once warm and heartfelt -- and often funny as well.
10/21/02
The chemistry between the two stars is exactly right. They are entirely believable as friends, as rivals and as lovers -- a tricky combination for any acting pair.
10/15/02
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03/24/02
The humor is terrific, the cinematography has a burnished glow, and the score is lush.
02/09/01
This one has crossover hit written all over it.
02/09/01
A sweet tale.
01/01/00
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