Like Mike

Like Mike
by John Schultz

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DVD Reviews of Like Mike

DVD Review: Despite gimmicks, this is a well-written film!
Summary: 3 Stars

The main characters have their personalities, but the secondary characters are able to stand on their own. The were more than place holders; they were actually people. I think the key moment is when Calvin's friend Murph puts on the shoes, hoping to be able to play like Mike. Token eccentric Crispin Glover (George McFly) plays the evil manager of the orphanage with a subtle flair. He is like Brendan Frasier or Peter Weller-they all have talent; it's just tricky to find good roles for them.

This movie is a nice family movie. It reinforces the values of diversity-the old talent of Tracy Reynolds with the new talent of Calvin Cambridge, and also Calvin's friendship with Asian Reg Stevens and Caucasian Murph. It has subtle elements of reconciliation-Tracey reconciles with Calvin, Tracey reconciles with his estranged father, and Calvin reconciles with the bully Ox. This movie is also about living your dreams, and working toward a worthy goal. And that you cannot beat!

I have only two objections to this movie. The first is obvious: whoever thought that having a kid climb a tree to grab shoes off a wire should be shot! Especially climbing a tree in the rain during an electrical storm! The wet shoes would conduct electricity, and be grounded through Calvin's body, ending the story before it began. And beyond the bad physics, this is absolutely the wrong thing to show in a family movie.

Two replacement ideas for this rather dumb scene are as follows: They could have the adventurers look up at the sneakers, and Calvin want to get the shoes, but Murph say that it is dangerous to climb wires, and then have the wind blow the sneakers down. This would get the shows down, and replace the galvanizing symbolism of electricity with the subtle inspiration symbolism of wind. You get the power of myth without the power of bad example.

The other option would be to eliminate the electricity altogether. You could have Calvin put on the shoes, and just begin playing better-a la Cinderella. This would make the story a bit more ambiguous and more intriguing. Is it the shoes, or is it Calvin's power of faith?

My second beef with this film is that it reinforces the idea that they way out of the ghetto is on the basketball court or in the studio recording rap music. They way out of the ghetto is the same as the way out of the trailer-park, and it involves being realistic, learning a marketable skill at school, and developing a obsession with drudgery. I know this is a fantasy film, but all myths need to be gounded in some reality, or they become meaningless.

3 stars-It's a good film, but the "live wire" scene is inexcusable.

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