Rating: 
Summary: GIVE ME A BREAK
Review: Wesleyn Snipes and Woody Harrelson are an unlikely duo in this story of two basketball hustlers. The two take to the courts with Snipes playing the loud mouthed Sidney who is unluckily paired with the dumb looking white boy Billy played by Harrelson. All of the brothers know white boys "got no game" and know Sidney will be taken for a ride. Both Sidney and Billy surprise their opponents and milk them for all that they're worth. What a surprise. We have a vanilla and chocolate team that hustles every would be basket-ball players that come as they go from tournament to tournament. Most would find this a fun film filled with action, great athletic moves and a sound track out of this world. We can laugh at the foibles of both characters and say right on to their equal opportunity partnership. As pure entertainment we can get our chuckles but a closer look reveals some deep seated stereotypes and myths. Rosie Perez is portrayed as Billy's booze drinking, sex starved, hoochie coochie Puertorican mama who memorizes useless information in hopes of being on Jeopardy. She is insulted by Billy throughout the movie as he continuously loses her money. Why is this woman staying with this man? Perez's talents is wasted in another role of being a sex fiend gal who exhibits no agency of her own. For all his talen, Snipe's role isn't so hot. He portrays the stereotypical Black man in the ghetto hustling from one scheme to another supposidly trying to support his family. The chump change that both men bring to their wife/girlfriend is a laugh if you know what it takes to support a family. Essentially the women are portrayed as weak, Black men are shown as full of jive and the white boy is just making his way through the crowd. Just what is the point of the movie? Brotherhood? Financing your dreams? Or is it a wonderful movie portraying the basketball skills in the ghetto? You decide.
Rating: 
Summary: A great sports movie and much more.
Review: White Men Can't Jump is a movie about basketball hustlers but the characters are multifaceted and this movie focuses on their reasons for hustling rather than the hustle itself. Sidney(Snipes) hustles as a means to get his family out of the ghetto. He is driven by an undying sense of family and a desire to be the provider that his family is looking for. Billy(Harrelson) hustles out of an addiction to gambling and also a desire to show his girlfriend(Rosie Perez) that he is becoming more responsible with money. The basketball in this movie is realistic as is the language and behaviors of the players. 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.
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