Full-Court Miracle
By Rich Phippen,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Judaism and basketball combine in lightweight Disney drama.
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Full-Court Miracle
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What's the Story?
In FULL-COURT MIRACLE, 14-year-old Alex Schlotsky (Alex D. Linz) is determined to turn his Jewish basketball team's fortunes around and win the inter-school tournament. Alex manages to persuade Lamont Carr (Richard T. Jones) an African American former college basketball star, to train them after school. Eventually Coach Carr is brought in as part of the school faculty, much to the annoyance of another teacher, Mrs. Klein (Sheila McCarthy). With Alex's mother pushing for her son to become a doctor, and Mrs. Klein concerned about Coach Carr's influence on the boys, the path to tournament success isn't going to be easy.
Is It Any Good?
It's unusual to see basketball and Judaism partnered up in such a way, and while the lessons are specific to Jewish history, they are universal in nature. The movie is based on a true story about an aging African American basketball player who is roped into helping out an under-performing team from a Jewish school in Philadelphia. The low-budget nature of the movie is abundantly clear, particularly in the stylized montage sequences and the special effects during the big finish.
Fortunately, Jones is convincing as Coach Carr, the player-turned-teacher, and Linz proves equally capable, despite his young years. Remarkably similar to 2005's Coach Carter -- but for kids -- Full-Court Miracle is a harmless, if forgettable tale of plucky underdogs and tenacious spirit with a side helping of ancient Jewish history.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how religion is portrayed in Full-Court Miracle. Why is it important for people of all different kinds of religion to be portrayed on screen? How were religious teachings related to basketball in the movie? Did it make a difference to the outcome?
The importance of teamwork is evident in the movie. What does Coach Carr do to get the team playing well? Does that translate to other aspects of life outside of sport? What other character strengths are seen in the movie? How can I use media to teach my kid teamwork?
Was Alex's mother right to worry about sport affecting her son's career choices? Should he have been allowed to pursue a career as a basketball player despite the odds being against him? Should he have focused more on becoming a doctor?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: November 21, 2003
- Cast: Alex D. Linz, Richard T. Jones, R.H. Thomson
- Director: Stuart Gillard
- Studio: Disney Channel Original Movies
- Genre: Family and Kids
- Topics: Sports and Martial Arts, Friendship, High School
- Run time: 90 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: February 18, 2023
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