Film Review ‘Shooting Stars’

Written by: Kelly Meade (06/05/23)

Based on the book by the same name, feature film Shooting Stars follows the life of LeBron James from his humble beginnings dreaming of playing in the NBA to attending St. Vincent-St. Mary high school to pursue the sport of basketball on a higher level and eventually achieving everything he’d hoped for and more.

Alongside Sian Cotton, Lil’ Dru Joyce III and Willie McGee, young LeBron and his friends are portrayed as youth who live & breathe basketball; striving to be the best in the game. As we learn more about each of their backstories, we find that the common thread of the sport has carried them through difficult circumstances growing up.

As the teens play on the same high school team, their skills & talent become more apparent and they adopt a fifth member, Romeo Travis, into their close-knit bond who become known as the Fab 5. Throughout their high school career, LeBron catches the eye of a journalist from Sports Illustrated which causes him to gain more notoriety around town. As the team struggles to find balance with the added attention, their coach, Dru Joyce II, attempts to maintain a level of peace and encourages them to focus on working together on and off the court.

When a challenge surfaces that threatens LeBron’s spot on the team, he realizes what is most important to him. More than the game itself, it’s his relationship with his friends and teammates that truly matters.

At the heart of Shooting Stars is a story of friendship and working towards your dreams. In the end, it’s not LeBron’s ultimate success in the NBA or a highlight reel of his greatest achievements to get there that viewers are shown, but rather what it means to be a team and cheering on those closest to you.

Content advisory: While the overall theme of Shooting Stars is meant to tell and inspiring story, it is not marketed as a faith-based film nor does it depict any examples of Christian faith and is not the typical content we share. While there is no violence or graphic content to speak of, it is rated PG-13 and contains several uses of language that some viewers may be uncomfortable with.

Shooting Stars is now streaming on Peacock Premium.

Watch the trailer:

Cast includes:
Marquis “Mookie” Cook as LeBron James
Caleb McLaughlin as Lil Dru Joyce III
Avery S. Willis Jr. as Willie McGee
Khalil Everage as Sian Cotton
Sterling “Scoot” Henderson as Romeo Travis
Wood Harris as Coach Dru Joyce II
Dermot Mulroney as Coach Keith Dambrot

3.4/5