Most know about the rise of LeBron James from impoverished Ohio roots (fatherless and raised in public housing) to mega-millionaire and NBA phenom, so why make a documentary? Maybe because Kristopher Belman’s film doesn’t just showcase LeBron but relates how he and his posse of friends known as the “Fab Four” decided to attend a nearly all-white parochial school so their undersized buddy, Dru Joyce, could get a shot at playing. (Dru had no chance at the all-black inner-city school.)
At the age of 10, the boys lost the AAU national championship game but vowed to stick together to do something more — which turned out to be a shot at the national-high-school championship. More Than a Game re-creates these moments, and it’s especially effective in exploring the pressures on the boys and their fragile dreams. As they recount their struggles and fears and the bond of their friendship, the film becomes more than just a tribute to LeBron James.
