Common Sense Media Review
By Jennifer Green
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Docu about WNBA activism has language, violent references.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Power of the Dream
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
Launched in the 1990s, the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) has always been "shorted" in comparison to men's basketball. That's what players suggest in this film, referring to budgets, salaries, media coverage, and attention. But that hasn't stopped WNBA players from giving it their all. In this documentary, many of the best-known players talk about what the sport has meant to them, and especially how and why they've used their platform to speak out against injustice and on behalf of political candidates. The film incorporates media clips and archive footage with interviews to tell this story and to show how WNBA players impacted the composition of the US Senate and perhaps the direction of the country.
Is It Any Good?
The achievements and passion of the WNBA players profiled in this documentary are indisputable, even if the film lags at times by relying too heavily on interviews with them. Power of the Dream gives viewers a behind-the-scenes overview of the influential activism of professional female basketball players, including their pivotal role in getting Raphael Warnock elected to the Senate in 2021, an election with national repercussions.
Director Dawn Porter lets these impressive women construct their own oral history, which is admirable but also overly repetitive as a viewing experience. This unfortunately makes the film feel long (which it is, at over two hours). Considering we're now two presidential elections away from where this film starts, and so much takes place during the COVID shutdown, it might also feel out of date to some (which it's not).
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the inspiration behind the WNBA players' activism, described in Power of the Dream.
How have the interviewees demonstrated courage and teamwork? How did this pay off in effecting social change? What other teams, leagues, or sports have been known to engage in similar activism and advocacy?
How did the historical moment between the 2016 election and the COVID pandemic create a ripe moment for the WNBA activism? Can you think of specific examples from the film?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : June 18, 2024
- Cast : Sue Bird , Jemele Hill , Nneka Ogwumike
- Director : Dawn Porter
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Director(s) , Black Movie Director(s) , Female Movie Actor(s) , Black Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Prime Video
- Genre : Documentary
- Topics : Activism , Friendship , History
- Character Strengths : Courage , Teamwork
- Run time : 93 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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