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Review #159 of 365
Film: The Heart of the Game [PG-13] 103 minutes
WIP™ Scale: $11.75
Where Viewed: AMC Theatres Pacific Place 11, Seattle, WA
When 1st Seen: 20 June 2006
Time: 8:15 p.m.
Soundtrack: Download now from 
Review Dedicated to: Michelle S. of Chicago, IL
Click for 'Review Lite' [a 150-word review of this film]
The key to a great documentary is no different than the key to any other type of great movie, you have to have a great story first, and then you have to do it justice in telling it. First-time documentarian, Ward Serrill, set his sights on bringing three inter-related stories together into one unifying film. Each story in and of itself might have been enough fodder for one film, yet these three were so intertwined as to make them equally inseparable. The stories are (1) the coaching practices and philosophies of a tax law professor and first time high school girls basketball coach, Bill Resler, (2) the seasons of success of the Roosevelt High School (Seattle) girls basketball team under Resler, and (3) the life of the superstar sensation Darnellia Russell who battles in the backcourt, on the court, and even in the courtroom to demonstrate her considerable basketball-playing talents.
From the outset, Coach Resler has a different take on how to coach girls basketball and how to coach girls in general. Raising three daughters of his own, he really understands their needs as being different from boys without patronizing them, while also helping them develop the confidence and fundamentals their male counterparts might have honed earlier in childhood as encouraged by parents or guardians with an over-the-garage basketball hoop—how many parents and guardians by this for their daughters as a 5th grade birthday present? As for Ressler, he knew that people say girls basketball isn't as tough or rough because the girls aren't tough or rough. They lack the physical stamina to play a really physical game of basketball. Not in Resler's world. In his world, they are every bit as capable of a physical game, they just haven't been shown how to do it, why to do, and when to do it. He developed drills that made them feel comfortable with the physical side of the game; and, in no time at all, this started making a huge difference in their love for the game and their on-the-court record. Undeniably unorthodox in his style, he brings out the very, very best in his players, and he permits them to organize within their own inner circle a true sense of team and teamwork. The result is much more than just what one would see from finally giving the girls a coach that believes in them. The result is a 180-degree turnaround in the way they carry themselves and the way their school and, ultimately, every person they meet treats them. Certainly, his most important contribution was the development of a basketball program that respected the abilities of the young women and opened them to the same expectations and rewards formerly reserved for boys teams alone. One of the few missteps of the film happens in this story line. There is just way too much unrelated information provided of Mr. Resler's personal life from pix of him as a Cub Scout to him telling a story about how his tax law students covered the walls of entire office at the university with every page of the United States tax code. This could have been cut from the movie with no loss of value; and, in fact, unless there is going to be a lot about how he became the coach he became, it was probably best left out anyway.
Story thread number two, of course, focused on the rise of girls basketball at Roosevelt High School in one of Seattle's southern neighborhoods. The boys team had been getting all of the attention for decades. Mr. Resler decided to change that. His first season, the girls team was undefeated—his best record as a coach, incidentally—and the attendance at the boys games was quickly eclipsed by the attendance at the girls games. One young man interviewed indicated he preferred to watch the girls games because they played as a team vs. the boys who just tried to compete amongst themselves to see who could score the most points. This was a stunning compliment to the coach, the team, and the turnaround of not just the program, but the school's cultural attitudes and norms. You have to give a lot of credit to the team for really working hard, following Resler's regimen and funky themes: 'Magical Journey', 'Pack of Wolves', 'Tropical Storm', and next year's 'School of Piranhas', and delivering on the goods when the final buzzer sounded. Resler says at one point that he doesn't care a bit about winning, but that actually winning is more fun. There is a ton of heartache in this film. Make no mistake, this film is not Hoosiers with girls. There are seven seasons of basketball to follow. There is heartbreaking loss after stunning defeat in key games. So, don't even try to predict what will happen, and that, is one of the joys of the movie, and one of the realities of being a fan of the Roosevelt Roughriders.
From the outset, Coach Resler has a different take on how to coach girls basketball and how to coach girls in general. Raising three daughters of his own, he really understands their needs as being different from boys without patronizing them, while also helping them develop the confidence and fundamentals their male counterparts might have honed earlier in childhood as encouraged by parents or guardians with an over-the-garage basketball hoop—how many parents and guardians by this for their daughters as a 5th grade birthday present? As for Ressler, he knew that people say girls basketball isn't as tough or rough because the girls aren't tough or rough. They lack the physical stamina to play a really physical game of basketball. Not in Resler's world. In his world, they are every bit as capable of a physical game, they just haven't been shown how to do it, why to do, and when to do it. He developed drills that made them feel comfortable with the physical side of the game; and, in no time at all, this started making a huge difference in their love for the game and their on-the-court record. Undeniably unorthodox in his style, he brings out the very, very best in his players, and he permits them to organize within their own inner circle a true sense of team and teamwork. The result is much more than just what one would see from finally giving the girls a coach that believes in them. The result is a 180-degree turnaround in the way they carry themselves and the way their school and, ultimately, every person they meet treats them. Certainly, his most important contribution was the development of a basketball program that respected the abilities of the young women and opened them to the same expectations and rewards formerly reserved for boys teams alone. One of the few missteps of the film happens in this story line. There is just way too much unrelated information provided of Mr. Resler's personal life from pix of him as a Cub Scout to him telling a story about how his tax law students covered the walls of entire office at the university with every page of the United States tax code. This could have been cut from the movie with no loss of value; and, in fact, unless there is going to be a lot about how he became the coach he became, it was probably best left out anyway.
Story thread number two, of course, focused on the rise of girls basketball at Roosevelt High School in one of Seattle's southern neighborhoods. The boys team had been getting all of the attention for decades. Mr. Resler decided to change that. His first season, the girls team was undefeated—his best record as a coach, incidentally—and the attendance at the boys games was quickly eclipsed by the attendance at the girls games. One young man interviewed indicated he preferred to watch the girls games because they played as a team vs. the boys who just tried to compete amongst themselves to see who could score the most points. This was a stunning compliment to the coach, the team, and the turnaround of not just the program, but the school's cultural attitudes and norms. You have to give a lot of credit to the team for really working hard, following Resler's regimen and funky themes: 'Magical Journey', 'Pack of Wolves', 'Tropical Storm', and next year's 'School of Piranhas', and delivering on the goods when the final buzzer sounded. Resler says at one point that he doesn't care a bit about winning, but that actually winning is more fun. There is a ton of heartache in this film. Make no mistake, this film is not Hoosiers with girls. There are seven seasons of basketball to follow. There is heartbreaking loss after stunning defeat in key games. So, don't even try to predict what will happen, and that, is one of the joys of the movie, and one of the realities of being a fan of the Roosevelt Roughriders.
"Chris 'Ludacris' Bridges does a tremendous job of narrating the story [that]…in the end…get[s] at the Heart of the Game."
By far and away, however, the most powerful of the three threads in this girls basketball tapestry, is the story of Darnellia Russell. When she was middle school-aged, her coaches knew she was something special. They groomed her for high school ball, and a decision she initially didn't like by her mother to have her go to Roosevelt instead of her preferred and closer high school, almost doomed her career as she had no intention of playing initially for Roosevelt, despite the new reputation of the Resler-coached team. Meanwhile, it not only took some convincing to get her to play, but it took some work to get her academically eligible. Once all cylinders were firing, however, she became a tour de force on the court playing varsity as a 9th grader. For Darnellia Russell, however, there were going to be many great challenges to come that not only she would bear but her teammates by virtue of association would bear as well. If Resler's team concept was worth its salt, however, the eventual support system in place for her would help her make it through. In the spring of her junior year, she discovered she was 4 months pregnant and that stomach pains she had felt during the basketball season were actually due to her pregnancy though she didn't know she was pregnant. I salute the director for his handling of this startling revelation as it was not over-sensationalized. It was handled with dignity, and there was really nothing in the film regarding her personal life until that moment of truth—which, I suspect, is exactly the way it hit the team and the coach. So, Darnellia dropped out of school, and she had the baby. Returning to the school once her baby was safely along the way, was easy; however the WIAA which regulates interscholastic competition ruled her ineligible to continue to play basketball. Ironically, she was getting the best academic results of her life. So, she appealed and was denied again. For her fifth year of high school, a voluntary lawyer took the case to sue the WIAA in court to get Darnellia reinstated, and he won on the ground that the rule the WIAA evoked against her was discriminatory to women. Darnellia Russell was allowed to play a final fourth season of basketball for the Roughriders. I'll leave the suspense of the results of that season up in the air so you can either see the film, or if you cannot wait, you can use the Internet to find the results now. Personally, I would rather see the film!
The film is not a perfect documentary. The job is to portray the full story, the reality, warts and all, however, some of the interviews of the girls while surely showing they were tough and rough and ready to play ball, were otherwise unflattering and made them seem callous. The girls occasionally come across as being one-dimensional in their focus. Also, there are some side stories that lengthen the film unnecessarily. Because of the depth of the time period covered, the three stories interwoven, and the inclusion of much minutia, the film, at times, also seems a bit clinical and detached. This is a symptom of a lot of documentaries. Finding a way of attaching with out influencing the film is the greatest challenge of this genre. A speedier time-line might have helped a bit. On the flip side, Chris 'Ludacris' Bridges does a tremendous job of narrating the story bringing just the right flavor and tone to the explanations and background stories. In the end, the film does get at the Heart of the Game.
The film is not a perfect documentary. The job is to portray the full story, the reality, warts and all, however, some of the interviews of the girls while surely showing they were tough and rough and ready to play ball, were otherwise unflattering and made them seem callous. The girls occasionally come across as being one-dimensional in their focus. Also, there are some side stories that lengthen the film unnecessarily. Because of the depth of the time period covered, the three stories interwoven, and the inclusion of much minutia, the film, at times, also seems a bit clinical and detached. This is a symptom of a lot of documentaries. Finding a way of attaching with out influencing the film is the greatest challenge of this genre. A speedier time-line might have helped a bit. On the flip side, Chris 'Ludacris' Bridges does a tremendous job of narrating the story bringing just the right flavor and tone to the explanations and background stories. In the end, the film does get at the Heart of the Game.
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Review-lite [150-word cap]
First-time documentarian, Ward Serrill, brings three inter-related stories to this seven season-covering film: the coaching philosophies of a tax law professor and first time high school girls basketball coach, Bill Resler; his successful seasons coaching the Roosevelt High School (Seattle) girls basketball team, and the life of the superstar Darnellia Russell who battles in the backcourt, on the court, and even in the courtroom to demonstrate her considerable basketball-playing talents. The film is not a perfect documentary: some of the interviews of the girls made them seem one-dimensional. Some side stories lengthen the film unnecessarily. At times, the film feels clinical and detached. A speedier time-line might have helped a bit. Chris 'Ludacris' Bridges does a tremendous job of narrating the story bringing just the right flavor and tone to the explanations and background stories. In the end, the film does get at he Heart of the Game.
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