Taglines: A story of the passion it takes to keep your dreams alive.
Love and Basketball movie storyline. In 1981 in L.A., Monica moves in next door to Quincy. They’re 11, and both want to play in the NBA, just like Quincy’s dad. Their love-hate relationship lasts into high school, with Monica’s edge and Quincy’s top-dog attitude separating them, except when Quincy’s parents argue and he climbs through Monica’s window to sleep on the floor.
As high school ends, they come together as a couple, but within a year, with both of them playing ball at USC, Quincy’s relationship with his father takes an ugly turn, and it leads to a break up with Monica. Some years later, their pro careers at a crossroads, they meet again. It’s time for a final game of one-on-one with high stakes.
Love & Basketball is a 2000 American romantic drama film starring Sanaa Lathan and Omar Epps. The film tells the story of Quincy McCall (Epps) and Monica Wright (Lathan), two next-door neighbors in Los Angeles, California who are pursuing their basketball careers before eventually falling for each other. The film was produced by 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks, and marks the directorial debut of screenwriter Gina Prince-Bythewood.
About the Story
Monica (Sanaa Lathan) and Quincy (Omar Epps) have wanted to be professional basketball stars since they were kids. Monica wanted to play for the Los Angeles Lakers and wear Magic Johnson’s number 32, and Quincy wanted to be like his father and play for the Clippers, wearing number 22. However, Monica has to work hard to establish herself, while Quincy was born with natural star potential. As the two struggle to reach their goals of playing professionally, they must also deal with their emotions for each other.
The film spans roughly thirteen years of friendship between childhood sweethearts Monica Wright and Quincy McCall. The first quarter of the story begins in 1981, when Monica (played as a youth by Kyla Pratt) and her family moved to Los Angeles in 1981 from Atlanta, Georgia, and quickly became acquainted with their new neighbors the McCalls, a wealthy family due to the success of Quincy’s father Zeke, the star shooting guard for the Los Angeles Clippers.
Quincy and Monica are drawn to each other instantly, sharing a love of the game: basketball. Quincy (played as a youth by Glendon Chattman) is shocked that a girl could ever love basketball as much as he did, and he is even more shocked when Monica plays so well. Although their first interaction results in Quincy angrily knocking her down during game point and accidentally scarring her face, they share their first kiss on the first day of school and end the “first quarter” of the story fighting in the grass.
The second quarter of the story begins in 1988, when both Monica and Quincy are the respective leaders of their high school teams. Scouts have taken clear notice of Quincy, who many see as one of the top prospects in the country. His popularity was not just evident on the court as he is extremely popular with the other students and could have any girl in school that he wanted, but he is still good friends and neighbors with Monica.
Monica, on the other hand, struggles with her fiery emotions on the court, which often resulted in technical fouls at critical moments of games, getting benched, and eventually pushing away many potential scouting opportunities due to her lack of control. Aside from her emotions on the court, she also struggles with the emotions she secretly still harbors for Quincy and struggles to express them as he is always surrounded by other girls.
Monica also has problems with her mother Camille, who is a stay at home wife and mother. Ever since she was a little girl, Monica has been pressured by Camille to give up basketball and “act like a lady”, to the point that Camille would force her to wear dresses and skirts against her will.
This has continued into her high school years, with Camille still complaining that Monica is too much of a “tomboy” and needs to learn to be more feminine, which leaves Monica feeling hurt and resentful of her mother for not accepting her for who she is and refuses to embrace the domestic “housewife” work that her mother seems to enjoy so much. Through soul searching throughout the season, Monica learns to control her emotions and leads her team to the state championship game. However, both she and her team came up short leading them to a victory, leaving Monica devastated and in tears.
Love and Basketball (2000)
Directed by: Gina Prince-Bythewood
Starring: Sanaa Lathan, Omar Epps, Glenndon Chatman, Chris Warren, Kyla Pratt, Alfre Woodard, Naykia Harris, Debbi Morgan, Dennis Haysbert, Regina Hall
Screenplay by: Gina Prince-Bythewood
Production Design by: Jeffrey Howard
Cinematography by: Reynaldo Villalobos
Film Editing by: Terilyn A. Shropshire
Costume Design by: Ruth E. Carter
Set Decoration by: Dena Roth
Art Direction by: Sue Chan
Music by: Terence Blanchard
MPAA RatingB PG-13 for sexuality and language.
Distributed by: New Line Cinema
Release Date: April 21, 2000
Views: 125
