HOME COURT is playing at SBIFF (Santa Barbara International Film Festival), and I had the opportunity to see an early look – here’s my Spoiler Free take:
HOME COURT reminded me of the classic Steve James documentary, HOOP DREAMS. It’s about Cambodian-American Ashley Chea’s journey as she follows her love for basketball throughout high school. Director Erica Tanamachi does a nice job of balancing Ashley’s on-court capabilities and her family’s struggles as refugees.
I’m a die-hard NBA fan. I watch all 82 games yearly for my favorite team, the Phoenix Suns. With that passion and knowledge of the game, I was disappointed with how basketball was captured. It lacked the excitement a baller would expect when watching any hoops on the screen.
Despite the shortcomings of basketball, the human family dynamics about love, hope, and connection keep HOME COURT worth watching. Ashley’s ability to block everything else and focus on playing basketball is inspiring.
HOME COURT isn’t quite the slam dunk you want in a documentary about basketball. However, it’s a solid team effort that scores just enough to be competitive, thanks to the family dynamics.
