While there are plenty of basketball pictures bouncing around, this is the first to give equal prominence to women's pro ball -- that alone makes it stand out from the pack.
Comment
01/01/00
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
In one scene a coach preaches to his team, 'Offense sells tickets. Defense wins games.' Prince-Bythewood subscribes to such a substance-over-style strategy as she resists flash and cheap dramatics.
01/01/00
As honest a title as one is likely to find gracing a multiplex marquee.
01/01/00
A worthy debut for writer/director Gina Prince-Bythewood.
01/01/00
It is especially nice to see a movie with a primarily black cast that has a genuine feel for the culture but avoids the usual clichés.
01/01/00
It too often dribbles instead of scoring, wasting time with talking-head confrontations when the real action should be in the bedroom and on the court.
01/01/00
Love and Basketball is never really more than an amiable Cinderella story, but it leavens its subject with such heart, such idealism and such pure eroticism that it's nearly a total success.
01/01/00
An impressive first effort.
01/01/00
Click to read the article
01/01/00
Epps and Lathan are terrifically appealing, each giving a complex performance that benefits greatly from the chemistry between them.
01/01/00
The movie is not as taut as it could have been, but I prefer its emotional perception to the pumped-up sports cliches I was sort of expecting.
01/01/00
This film takes to the court with all the fervor, spark, and talent a crowd loves to see in an underdog.
01/01/00
As predictable and arbitrary as Quincy and Monica's heel-dragging journey toward amorous bliss often is, Lathan and Epps infuse a startling amount of unforced erotic juice and emotional depth into their portrayals of the star-crossed jock paramours.
01/01/00
Click to read the article
01/01/00
Monica is such a dynamic individual presence that she overwhelms almost everything else in Love and Basketball.
01/01/00
It's the rare sports film that favors the woman's struggle over the man's in a male-dominated sport, and even rarer to reveal such a sharp, savvy contrast.
01/01/00
Ambitious first-time writer-director Gina Prince-Bythewood effectively loses hold of a solid story while trying to grab onto something that looks greater but is, in fact, less.
01/01/00
An ambitious and successful film.
01/01/00
Latest News for Love and Basketball
February 02, 2006:
Critical Consensus: "Something" Ain't Nothing, "Call" Is Not Screened
This week at the movies brings something new ("Something New") and something remade ("When a Stranger Calls"). What do the critics say? More...
June 23, 2005:
Roller-Skating "Jellybeans"?
The Hollywood Reporter brings news of a new project that sounds a lot like "You Got Served ... Candy!" Evan Ross Naess, son of Ms. Diana Ross, is in final negotiations... More...
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
Fresh Links
Featured
RT on YouTube 
Subscribe to RT's YouTube channel and don't miss a second of our cracking video content.
RT on Twitter
Follow Rotten Tomatoes and join us as we tweet about the week's releases.
IGN RSS Feeds