Summary
Shooting Stars is a highly enjoyable, feel-good biography that overcomes genre cliches by telling a story of a community full of support and warmth.
Here is our review of the 2023 Peacock film Shooting Stars, which does not contain spoilers.
There have been countless theatrical and streaming films of late telling the rise of some of today’s greatest athletes. Like last year’s Disney+ movie Rise, based on Giannis Antetokounmpo, Shooting Stars tells the story of one of the greatest basketball players ever.
It’s a highly enjoyable, feel-good biography that overcomes genre clichés by telling a story of a community full of support and love.
Shooting Stars (2023) Review and Plot Summary
Based on the non-fiction book by Buzz Bissinger of the same name, the story follows the humble beginnings and rise of one of the greatest basketball players of all time, LeBron James (Marquis Mookie Cook).
Yes, that star of Space Jam: A New Legacy and Trainwreck is the NBA’s all-time scoring leader and a four-time most valuable player who began his legacy in Akron, Ohio.
On a pee-wee team called the Shooting Stars with his three best friends, Lil Dru (Stranger Things‘ Caleb McLaughlin), Willie (Avery Serell Wills Jr.), and Sian (Khalil Everage), they managed to gain scholarships to the prestigious St. Vincent–St. Mary, playing for the controversial coach Keith Brett Dambrot (Dermot Mulroney), who hires Dru’s father (Wood Harris), a father figure to LeBron, to be an assistant coach on the team.
Directed by Chris Robinson (Atlanta) and adapted by Frank E. Flowers, along with Tony Rettenmaier and Juel Taylor, Shooting Stars is just what you think it is — a biography that skips over fine points and critical details in order to tell a heartwarming story about family is what you make it. And you know? That’s okay because Robinson and the company hit the critical shot when needed.
First, the story is not about James but the support system as a whole. Refreshingly, almost all four friends, except Sian, are given significant storytime, particularly McLaughlin, who shows some nice range, and portrays Dru as the heart and tenacity of the group. Robinson and the cast create a real community.
Those are the critical moments I mentioned earlier. Dru’s parents play “oldies” for the kids when they are little, but they embrace them after graduation. LeBron’s mother teases him about his new girlfriend being cute because he’s goofy-looking. Those moments, especially Harris being the glue to make them better men (or Mulroney’s small act of redemption), deliver a message that hits home.
Is the 2023 film Shooting Stars good or bad?
Shooting Stars is an above-average family biographical film despite some issues common in the genre. You’ll notice that this movie glosses Dambrot’s reason for leaving the NCAA ranks—James’ mother’s role in his suspension.
They even portray his eye-opening suspension as if he missed the entire season and only came back for the big game when, in reality, he only missed four games.
Is Shooting Stars worth watching?
Shooting Stars is worth watching, not for the incredible story, but for the warmth Robinson develops on screen. I would also like to credit Cook, who sounds just like James, so much so I’m certain it was dubbed, or he watched clips of Trainwreck on a loop.
This is a highly enjoyable, feel-good film, refreshingly straightforwardly told, and has some fun with its storytelling.
What did you think of the 2023 Peacock film Shooting Stars? Comment below.
