More Than a Game is a sports documentary film that follows NBA superstar LeBron James and four of his teammates through the trials and tribulations of high school basketball in Akron, Ohio, and James's journey to fame. The film trailer was released in April featuring the single "Stronger" by Mary J. Blige, which she released in support of the film. It is a documentary that focuses in on 5 young basketball players - LeBron James, Dru Joyce III, Romeo Travis, Sian Cotton, Willie McGee - and their coach, Dru Joyce II, performing on an AAU team with the growing stardom of the future NBA superstar, LeBron James. Taking them through their pre-teens to high school, the film follows their incredible journey as the unknown Ohio team rises to the top of youth athletics. The moral really suggests that to win, a team has to fight until the end to achieve a goal, even if the challenge seems easy.Director Kristopher Belman examines the way that bonds are formed and tested with this profile of four high school basketball players who formed a remarkable chemistry over the years, eventually going on to play for St. Vincent-St. Mary in Akron, OH -- with one of them realizing their common dream of becoming an NBA superstar. LeBron James was still in high school when Sports Illustrated dubbed him "The Chosen One" and all-eyes turned toward the St. Mary-St. Vincent team. But while most cameras focused on the court, only Belman managed to capture the remarkably personal exchanges that occurred in the locker room as the team prepared for their games and celebrated their victories. And while James may have been the breakout star of the group, Belman still takes the time to offer detailed profiles of diminutive shot-sinker Little Dru, stocky Sian, and wise-beyond-his-years Willie -- the other players who formed the so-called "Fab Four." The subsequent addition of Romeo Travis necessitated the expansion of their nickname to the "Fab Five." As the adversity rises and James enters into his senior year, he faces the resentment of outsiders who would attempt to capitalize on his talent, and endures pressures that most teenagers will never know. Though the film may not delve as deep as some would prefer, More Than a Game is an inspiring documentary featuring likable youngsters, a positive message, and some exciting in-game footage

To be honest, one of the best documentaries I've ever seen. A truly feel good movie. I'd heard about Lebron James, but never really knew much about him. Then my son and me watched the movie. To say it was inspiring (especially for the little guy) would be a gross understatement. The best part of the movie was finding out that Lebron became who he is today, because of a small group of people that became his extended family. As a parent, and a fellow human being, its hard not to have tears well up at the end of this one, because we all want to be loved. They all found that love - in each other. The side effect was an amazing basketball story.

Remembering Michael Jordan is feeling no player in basketball history could ever approach his skill and charisma. The smooth documentary More Than a Game offers the possibility that Le Bron James is everything Jordan was and maybe more. Yet it succeeds in deflecting James' glory by showing how his "Fab Five," as they called themselves at Akron's St. Vincent, St. Mary's in Ohio, overcame difficulties to become national champions.Although the documentary follows the usual arc of win, lose, win for sports stories, similar to Hoop Dreams, I had satisfaction that I witnessed a phenomenon of history—a team that survived briefly without James(who later won a court decision to be reinstated), qualified for the nationals, lost the national championship only to come back the next year victorious. Clichéd as that might be, it's interesting history. The impact of media coverage, especially the growing awareness of James's transcendent talent, is never fully explored in favor of spreading the story amongst the five star players and coach.Because James is a producer of this film, it's easy to see how it slides over the controversies such as his mother's financing a Hummer for him. There may be other more egregious acts, yet it's hard not to like the self-effacing star, even harder to discount the emotional challenges facing a coach who must coach his own son. Indeed the story of Coach Dru Joyce is every bit as interesting as that of the players, neophyte as he was to coaching basketball and with his son in the starting lineup. This is where director Kristopher Belman is at his best as he carefully reveals the difficulties such a situation brings.The sly comment about James at the end of the obligatory "what happened to whom" may be the best indicator that as manipulative as this doc may be, it has a sense of humor about a serious sports story.

is there More in this movie?And I thought 'Real Shaolin' was average. This exceeded my lows of TIFF08 on a documentary.The "catch" of this one is of course Lebron. And they do have a story about the team and the life long friends he played with. But it's basically a story - plot together like the Hooser movie, with videos and home movies added with current interviews and looking backs.Mind you there is message, loud and clear and lebron is NOT the main reason behind this doc - which I suspect as much and applaud the decision. But I thought the director would have had a deeper inside look ????A story could have been 45min... but told in 1.45?