SHOOTING STARS ONLY ON PEACOCK, JUNE 2, 2023
Shooting Stars is more than just another sports legend biIo-pic. It is about community, family, and what it means to finish what you started. Motivating, heartfelt, and cheer worthy! A perfect watch for fans of HS basketball, LeBron James, or just the magic of friendship.
Synopsis: Based on the book by LeBron James and the Pulitzer Prize winning author of Friday Night Lights, Buzz Bissinger, Shooting Stars is the inspiring origin story of a basketball superhero, revealing how LeBron James and his childhood friends become the #1 high school team in the country, launching James’s breathtaking career as a four-time NBA Champion, two-time Olympic Gold Medalist and the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.
In the 1990s, a young LeBron James (Marquis “Mookie” Cook, in his screen debut) and his three best friends — Lil Dru (Caleb McLaughlin, Stranger Things), Willie McGee (Avery S. Wills, Jr., Swagger) and Sian Cotton (Khalil Everage, Cobra Kai)—called themselves the “Fab Four,” after the famed Michigan Wolverines’ “Fab Five” of that era. From the moment we meet them, we realize this group of friends, under the guidance of coach Dru Joyce (Wood Harris; Creed franchise), is connected by more than basketball.
You may know the story, but the film captures the true heart! Underdog sports films are always a slam dunk. What makes this story different is that the Fab Four were never underdogs; they dominated. Take away the game and what you have left is an even better story. It is a tale of what it means to have a strong group of friends who understand the assignment and are there for you in every situation.
It is easy to pass this off as a James fluff piece. A way to sell more books. I went in to it with that in the back of my head. I soon discovered that James is just a piece of this tapestry. There is coach Dru who was more concerned about making strong men more than strong ballers. Everyone knows the LeBrons of the world but it is the coach Dru’s who shine in the shadows.
If you want a lot of sports action don’t worry there is plenty of that too. On court moments follow the four through high school. The scenes are well thought out and filmed nicely. I am not sure if these young actors are as good as they look on screen. They make it look effortless though and seem comfortable in that element. That is important and grounds the viewer in the moment.
The film is streaming on Peacock starting this weekend, and that is the perfect place for it. Films like this seem to hit differently once you have shelled out the big theater ticket price. It is very enjoyable though to plop on the couch and hit that streaming app.
Shooting Stars is rated PG-13 for strong language, some suggestive references and teen drinking. If you are worried about your pre-teens the main thing is the language. There is a lot of trash talking and mild swearing. Spoiler alert – your kids already know all these words, and probably know better than to repeat them… around you.
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