Spike Lee's latest effort is an overly ambitious father-son drama that uses the world of basketball as a backdrop. Denzel Washington plays the father, a man serving a sentence for a terrible crime, who is given a chance for early parole, if he can convince his basketball playing son to sign with Big State.

What's completely apparent here is Lee's passion for the game. Anyone who watches the Knicks play on a regular basis, know that Spike is one of their biggest fans. The portions of the film that worked for me were the parts that dealt with the game. Lee really captures the feeling of pressure that high school ball players are under when trying to figure out what their next step will be. Especially when they're as talented as Jesus, the main character in He Got Game. Constantly being hounded and not knowing who your real friends are. These are only two of Jesus' problems. His big problem is his time-serving father, whom he hasn't gotten along with in years. This is where the well intentioned He Got Game falters.

When Lee isn't dealing with the game, he takes us on a father-son journey that doesn't always seem real. He Got Game also loses focus occasionally, slowing the pace a bit. Still, it's hard not to recommend He Got Game. Even when he's not hitting the mark, Spike Lee fills the screen with his passion. He's not only paved the way for African American film makers but independent film makers as well. He also manages to get another brilliant performance out of Denzel Washington. Lee and Washington also worked together on what I think is Lee's finest work, Malcolm X. NBA star Ray Allen does a good job as well, displaying the difficulties of making career choices, and reconciling with a father he hardly knows. He Got Game isn't Lee's best work but it's a worthy effort.