SummaryTwo inner-city Chicago boys with hopes of becoming professional basketball players struggle to become college players.
Directed By:Steve James
Hoop Dreams
Metascore
Universal Acclaim
98
User score
Generally Favorable
8.0
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Top Cast
Metascore
Universal Acclaim
100% Positive
19 Reviews
19 Reviews
0% Mixed
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
100
It’s the film’s humanity which is at the core of its genius.
100
One of the rare sports films that devotes extensive screen time to heartbreaking losses is full of other surprises as well. [13 Oct 1994, p.1D]
User score
Generally Favorable
85% Positive
97 Ratings
97 Ratings
6% Mixed
7 Ratings
7 Ratings
9% Negative
10 Ratings
10 Ratings
Jan 21, 2017
10
Hoop Dreams is an incredible film about following your passion and dreams and never giving up. It closely follows the story of a couple different boys who love basketball and dream of going to college and pursuing it in their future.
100
Great American movies are, these days especially, few and far between, so let's everybody take a deep breath and mark the moment: Hoop Dreams, all three hours' worth, is a great American movie. It's got the sting of drama and the ache of truth; it's even got the sting of truth and the ache of drama.
100
It's one of the richest movie experiences of the year, a spellbinding American epic that holds you firmly in its grip for nearly three hours.
100
Hoop Dreams is an astonishing emotional experience — it has highs, lows, and everything in between.
88
The remarkable Hoop Dreams proves that even at its best, Hollywood can't match the drama of everyday life. This rich and insightful documentary, which traces five years in the lives of two Chicago inner-city kids, is more compelling than anything a pack of scriptwriters could ever concoct. [21 Oct 1994, p.G5]
75
Though the movie clocks in at just under three hours, it is -- aside from an occasional slow spot -- fascinating and exciting.
Aug 11, 2014
10
This is one of the best documentaries I've ever seen. It's absolutely fascinating the story and evolution of these two kids through their basketball lives in high school. It's about life pure and simple with it's twists and turns that catch you off guard, the surprises both pleasant and heartbreaking. The two aspiring basketball stars engage you like few characters you will see in any documentary. And for the filmmakers to have such dedication over these years, the highest credit and thanks to them.
Dec 17, 2018
9
Arthur Agee you are my hero. Just the best doc ever made hands down. Everything went right/wrong.
Mar 18, 2016
9
Hoop Dreams manages to hold in a ride worth taking and end it with so many sad moments that my heart can actually break from all these heartbreaking moments.
Mar 12, 2019
4
This is the kind of story that inspires so many to chase a dream that is about as likely to attain as winning the lottery. It supports that narrative that sports are way more important than they actually are. If kids would only pursue education with this much tenacity, the world would be a better place. Sports gets enough glory in America.
Production Company:
- Kartemquin Films
- KTCA Minneapolis
Release Date:Oct 14, 1994
Duration:2 h 50 m
Rating:PG-13
Tagline:An Extraordinary True Story.
Awards
Academy Awards, USA
• 1 Nomination
Cinema Eye Honors Awards, US
• 2 Wins & 2 Nominations
Chicago Film Critics Association Awards
• 1 Win & 2 Nominations
