Solid in every way, but....

This was excellent. One thing I liked and some will dislike, is it stayed away from the socioeconomic discussion. Most of these playgrounds are connected to housing projects and the film did a nice job of showing the family aspect of this culture. As someone who grew up in Brooklyn in the early 80's, the film described exactly what it was like. There was no playing before 9am or after 9pm, but between those hours, the courts were bustling. I also went to school near The Cage and always laughed that all these businessmen would go there and watch, completely enamored by these "kids." Many who were playing for more money than they were making that day.

My only negative would be that this film is not for everyone. Someone who grew up in the burbs or on a cornfield isn't going to get it. They won't understand that this, for many, was the only option. There was a reason why basketball was the sport and it was because of size constraints. There were also a lot of rec centers back in the day that kids would sneak into or pay a janitor to let them in. This culture, combined with Hip-Hop, defined multiple generations. Well done and a pure joy for someone who lived it.