Shooting Stars (2023 film)

Shooting Stars is a 2023 American biographical sports drama film about the high school sports career of LeBron James. Directed by Chris Robinson, and starring Mookie Cook as the lead, it is based on James' 2009 memoir of the same name, co-authored by Buzz Bissinger.

The film was released on June 2, 2023, by Peacock.

Plot

Based on the book by LeBron James and the Pulitzer Prize winning author of Friday Night Lights, Buzz Bissinger, Shooting Stars is the inspiring origin story of a basketball superhero, revealing how LeBron James and his childhood friends become the #1 high school team in the country, launching James's breathtaking career as a four-time NBA Champion, two-time Olympic Gold Medalist, and the NBA's all-time leading scorer.

Cast

• Mookie Cook as LeBron James
• Caleb McLaughlin as Dru Joyce III
• Algee Smith as Illya McGee
• Dermot Mulroney as Keith Dambrot
• Wood Harris as Dru Joyce II
• Natalie Paul as Gloria James
• Katlyn Nichol as Savannah James
• Avery Wills as Willie McGee
• Scoot Henderson as Romeo Travis
• Khalil Everage as Sian Cotton
• Jett Howard as Carmelo Anthony

Production

In 2014, it was reported that a film based on LeBron James' high school years would be produced by Universal Pictures. The film is based on James' 2009 memoir of the same name, co-authored by Buzz Bissinger.

Principal photography began on April 18, 2022, in Beachwood, Ohio. Filming lasted until June 2022. Among the locations used for filming were St. Paul's Episcopal Church.

Release

Shooting Stars premiered on Peacock on June 2, 2023. In the Philippines, the film was released on HBO Go on November 25, 2023.

Reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 53% of 34 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5.9/10. The website's consensus reads: "Although Shooting Stars isn't without its engaging moments, this dramatized look back at LeBron James' early years is less entertaining than simply watching him play." Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 62 out of 100, based on 11 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.

Matt Zoller Seitz of RogerEbert.com gave the film four out of four stars, stating that "When a movie loves its characters and story as much as this one, and dedicates every aspect of filmmaking and performance to doing them justice, and consistently puts virtuosity in service of meaning, the result conjures a feeling that's close to what you experience when someone you adore has a great and richly deserved success, and you're privileged to be able to witness it and cheer them on."

See also

• More than a Game — a 2008 documentary film about LeBron's high school years.
• List of basketball films

References

External links

Shooting Stars at IMDb