More Than a Game Review

Messages: Though the movie spends a lot of time on NBA superstar LeBron James, it focuses more on the concept of teamwork than on a one-man show -- each of his teammates gets equal time on camera. The movie is also filled with messages about the importance of family, and the central four players/best friends are shown bonding and trusting one another -- the movie celebrates how their trust and friendship translate to the court. The destructive power of arrogance is also illustrated,  and there's a general tone that while basketball was the key for most of these kids, it's also not the end-all, be-all of life.

Role models: James' success story is very inspirational, but some of the other people in the movie have stories even more so. Dru Joyce III overcomes his height disadvantage by practicing  hard, turning crowds' laughter into respect. The story of Joyce's father following his coaching dream is also a strong example, as is the story of teammate Romeo Travis, who came from a tough childhood and couldn't get along with the other players until they opened their arms and accepted him. On the slight downside, viewers do also see James adapting to his newfound fame and occasionally succumbing to some of its pitfalls.

Violence: Nothing more than the usual fouls and jostles on the basketball court.

Sex: The players occasionally mention the existence of adoring female fans and that you could play basketball to "get girls." It's implied that there could have been some hanky-panky, but nothing is shown or explicitly verbalized.

Language: Mostly clean, but there are at least two uses of the word "hell" during interviews, and the "N" word is barely audible in the background during a noisy team home video. A man in a restaurant calls the newly famous James a "jerk" as a way to illustrate how difficult James' celebrity was.

Consumerism: The players speak jealously of an early rival team being sponsored by Nike -- but later on, when their own stars rise, they're happy about having been sponsored by Adidas. One player jokingly recommends that all athletes eat Wheaties. Gatorade is mentioned.

Drinking, drugs and smoking: Drugs are referred to as a reality of life for some of the players who came from the projects, but the movie doesn't indicate that any of the players ever tried drugs; it presents the players as being clean and healthy, and drugs are constantly labeled as something negative, a temptation and a bad influence to be overcome and beaten. In this light, there are images of teenagers smoking pot in a housing project.