White Men Can't Jump

1992 "It ain't easy being this good."
6.8| 1h55m| R| en| More Info
Released: 27 March 1992 Released
Producted By: 20th Century Fox
Country: United States of America
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
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Synopsis

Two street basketball hustlers try to con each other, then team up for a bigger score.

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eoval If the title doesn't say it, nothing else will. I'll elaborate a bit anyway...I had been ashamed to rank it above 9 stars as it is a sports film until I was watching it tonight for realistically the 50th time. I did the math, hence the review title. I finally manned up and gave it the 10 stars it deserves.Woody Harrelson and Wesley Snipes have chemistry.Woody Harrelson and Wesley Snipes have chemistry.Woody Harrelson and Wesley Snipes have chemistry.Now that we have that out of the way, the dialogue is superb; the back-and-forth is flat out hilarious. Even Alex Trebek makes it a great flick.I have found myself talking on the phone in very relevant conversations and only half understanding what I was discussing when White Men Can't Jump was on - enough said.The writer/director also made Blue Chips (great movie) and Tin Cup (pretty enjoyable,) if that says anything.
Predrag If you like basketball at all, you're going to love this movie. If you like to make fun of your friends, you're going to love this movie. Witty comedy that doesn't offend (that's hard to come by these days). Billy Hoyle (Woody Harrelson) is a street-wise basketball player with something to prove. He heads to Venice Beach to hustle big-time players for money. Hoyle bites off more than he can chew when he meets up with Sydney Dean (Wesley Snipes) and becomes the victim of a hustle himself. However, Dean and Hoyle can't deny the bond of friendship between them, no matter how hard they try. When Billy loses his girlfriend because he loses all of their money and Dean's home is robbed they turn to each other for the solution...The direction is sharp and the cinematography is surprisingly impressive as the mean streets of Los Angeles are caught with striking camera shots. The under-rated screenplay is intelligent, focused, and clever. All in all "White Men Can't Jump" is far from being a classic, but it is still a fine film that is better than many think. The fact that Shelton can lay down such heavy themes in what is otherwise a hilarious romp about street basketball and the fine art of smack talk says volumes about his talent as a screenwriter. He's helped in great measure by both Snipes and Harrelson, who were not only good enough at the game to be practically Division III-quality players according to one of the former NBA pros who served as a technical adviser on the film, but were also good enough to handle the fast pace of the dialogue. Snipes is especially impressive, bursting with energy, in phenomenal shape, relishing the nonstop banter. He handles the (few) quieter moments like a pro, too. The real story; however, is one of loyalty, betrayal and eventually friendship. This is a smart and funny movie that transcends the "sports movie" genre. Overall rating: 8 out of 10.
Jacob Shelow In White Men Can't Jump, Billy Hoyle uses other players' expectations of what a typical street-ball basketball player looks like to his advantage to hustle them. He is a white guy who dresses "like a chump" so that other players doubt that he can play. The first guy that Billy hustles is Sidney, who is one of the best players in the area. These guys join forces as two of the best hustlers to go around and play against whoever is willing and good enough to bet money on a game. The movie very effectively captures the attitudes and atmosphere surrounding this form of basketball, while also incorporating bits of comedy that make the movie more entertaining. As someone who enjoys the game of basketball, this movie was very intriguing to me as it successfully introduced a brand of basketball that I am unfamiliar with. This movie focuses equally on the hustler lifestyle and the everyday troubles these basketball hustlers face as well as the sport of basketball. Sports certainly don't seem to be the only emphasis of this movie, which may steer some viewers away from this movie. If one is looking for a typical basketball movie, then this may not be the movie for you. Although, it still teaches sports fans, specifically basketball fans, about a sports culture that may seem foreign to the majority them, which may be captivating and make this movie worthwhile to others.
Harriet Deltubbo Recently I have been so trapped in another round of emotional lows that I can't turn to anybody for any comfort. I am always thinking that I lack talent and that the only way I can be qualified, not successful, in competitions with others is to work harder than them so that my diligence makes up for my weaknesses. I admire the talented so much.With this in mind, I rented WHITE MEN CAN'T JUMP and it made me feel like a new person. Wesley and Woody are great together. The screenplay is intelligent, focused and clever. This is a truly excellent movie, and it becomes poetic at times. Overall, I can give it no less than 7 out of 10.