"Rocky?" "Rudy?" "The Blind Side?" Maybe even "Happy Gilmore?"
No.
The answer is 2002's "Like Mike."
Never heard of "Like Mike?" You wouldn't be the first. Well you are missing out big time, first of all, on a cultural phenomenon and a great, unappreciated, underrated and overall great sports movie. "Like Mike" isn't… inspiring like one would expect from a great sports movie but that doesn't mean it doesn't deserve the recognition.
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| The greatest movie ever made. |
Before we get started on this
rant review on how great "Like Mike" is, I should create a disclaimer.
Disclaimer: when I was young I had (and might still have) a huge crush on Bow Wow. Just look at that face. How does one not have a crush?
"Like
Mike"
is the story of an orphan, Calvin (Bow Wow, now known as Shad Moss), who is picked on at his foster home in the Los Angeles area by bullies and only has a few friends. It is unlikely that the adorable Calvin will get adopted because he is a teenager and no prospective parents want to adopt a teenager.
Calvin's life turns around when he receives an old pair of Michael Jordan's old sneakers that make him "like Mike." Calvin and his friend, Murph, (the also cute, Jonathan Lipnicki), score tickets to an NBA game in Los Angeles where Calvin's ticket is called to go out on the court during commercial break to try and play against the team all-star, Tracy Reynolds (Morris Chesnut). Calvin ultimately wins a 3-point game against Tracy and everyone is impressed.
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| Calvin before he was drafted to the NBA at age 14. |
The team isn't doing so hot between ticket sales, games and a fanbase so the owner of the team decides to bring Calvin on the team for a few games for a publicity stunt but ends up bringing the team more fame and glory than could have been expected.
There are the obvious twists and turns that one would expect in a family comedy but nonetheless the film is filled with laughs, good humor and a big heart.
The movie is just an overall great family film that is filled with laughter and surprises. The movie was released in 2002 and maybe after a good ten years of not seeing it, I rewatched it and still love it all the same. It reminds me of my childhood and how I watched the movie countless times while singing "Baketball," the song created for the film. This movie makes me happy and I would recommend it to everyone.
