Parents' Guide to

High Flying Bird

By Renee Longstreet, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Savvy sports drama about basketball politics; some cursing.

Movie NR 2019 90 minutes
High Flying Bird Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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age 12+

Based on 2 parent reviews

doctora
doctora Parent of 5-year-old
June 6, 2022
age 15+

Wish they made sports films more like this!

This is a charmer of a film! A well written story that describes the business of basketball. Exquisitely acted and a plot that you need to work for. André Holland is inspired! A true talent and amazing artist. High Flying Bird is the type of sports film that we need.
ahmed aiman 99
ahmed aiman 99 Adult
February 14, 2019
age 9+

Soderbergh flies high with his iPhone!

Not my cuppa tea, as I expected. But I just wanted the movie to be more engaging for me in a way or another. Maybe more delving into the characters, or more focus on the rivalry the movie gave me a glimpse of would have made me more intrigued. That said, High Flying Bird is a quite solid sports movie that further proves that Soderbergh's new filmmaking technology works pretty well, and that he has plenty of buttons to push using this tech. It also proves that André Holland has a massive talent that should not be underestimated. (7/10)

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

An NBA lockout is underway in HIGH FLYING BIRD. Sports agent Ray Burke (Andre Holland) is at the center of the ongoing turmoil. He works for a primo sports agency. His boss (Zachary Quinto) is ineffective and punishing Ray in frustration. His newest high-profile client, Erick (Melvin Gregg), is scared and making some big mistakes as he fights for the career he hasn't even started. His now "ex" assistant Sam (Zazie Betts) is looking out for herself despite her gratitude to Ray. The ranking NBA owner (Kyle MacLachlan) and the players' union rep (Sonja Sohn) are in a stand-off. And his friend and mentor Spence (Bill Duke) is cautioning Ray about the insidiousness of black exploitation at the heart of the professional sports world. Negotiating the escalating chaos and the competing personal loyalties is almost more than he can handle. But Ray, who always seems to maneuver around whatever comes his way, even when his corporate credit card is declined, hasn't revealed his most lethal mid-court shot. He's saving that for less than a second before the buzzer.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2):
Kids say (1):

Spot-on, penetrating performances, insightful themes, and a vivid but unpretentious production overcome some minor deficiencies in this "basketball" drama that isn't about sports at all. High Flying Bird is what folks call a "talky" movie, this one is built on events driven by the character of the competing teams' players. And the filmmakers have a lot to say. Working from a script by playwright Tarell Alvin McCraney, Soderbergh and company tackle money, race, and the current unrest that dominates many elements of today's culture. There's a plot element that's meant to help define the hero's passion, but it's never really paid off. It doesn't matter so much because Ray's actions are more than motivated by current circumstances and the people who surround him. Netflix, with its wide audience base, is a good home for this film. Lots of people who like stories with bite and complexity will have a chance to see it.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the depiction of women in High Flying Bird. How do the central figures of Samantha (Sam), Myra, and Jamero's mom knock down female stereotypes? What character strengths do they exhibit that make them effective?

  • In the movie, Spence says, "You care all the way, or you don't care at all." What does he mean? Can you apply the notion to something that matters to you?

  • Find out the meaning of the word "metaphor." In what ways are the events in this film meant to serve as a metaphor for aspects of our society other than sports? What other institutions exploit (or may be tempted to exploit) talented, hard-working folks?

  • This movie was shown at the 2018 Slamdance Film Festival. Find out more about Slamdance and the kind of movies it showcases.

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