Amateur (2018) User Reviews (31)

Sends a strong message

[Floated2 · 7/10 · 20 January 2021]

Amateur is a relatively smaller independent spurts drama about a young gifted and talented high school prospect. The story is quite believable and the acting by up and coming star Michael Rainey Jr makes for a likable and realistic lead. There is showcasing of basketball being played and also shows the business side and why academics is important.

A key subplot deals with the fact that the star has trouble reading numbers and isn't strong at math, making him unable of reading the scoreboard. It sends a strong message in that working in your academics and school studies has a strong direct link in with his dream of eventually making it into the pros- NBA.

The film somewhat becomes confusing in its last 30 minutes or so when we see him video recording a private message with his coach and father. This part felt unrealistic and it didn't make much sense for the character as to why he would purposefully sabotage his career and his coach's. Though some claim he did it as a way to get off the team, though how would he know that he would he able to re-attend his former high school? The conclusion felt rushed but it was different than what we would come to expect so that was good. In the end, this film is highly overlooked, quite entertaining and would be enjoyed by basketball fans.

It's OK

[anthkelly · 6/10 · 19 June 2020]

This film is good don't get me wronge but it's not by any means at the same level as other films like it it's no coach carter the main thing that let's it down is the main character this kid cannot act said the same when he was in power he has no expression just awful cannot understand how he keeps getting picked for roles

Anticlimactic

[fmwongmd · 5/10 · 13 January 2019]

A somewhat befuddled storyline; somewhat good acting by Michael Ranney Jr..

Somewhat believable

[docwebb-65066 · 6/10 · 8 April 2018]

Pretty good throughout the movie until the last 20-30 min. Kind of hokey after that.

A young boy likes to resume games and catch from his father while he plays.

[fatoadg · 7/10 · 2 June 2022]

"Amateur" (2018) by Ryan Koo - SuperBasket A young boy likes to resume games and catch from his father while he plays. He is an excellent technique to understand one's mistakes and improve. A very nice story about this boy who gets stuck in his studies, but with the right teachers he starts getting good grades and can find solutions to problems without giving up.

GREAT STORY TO TELL - JUST NOT TOLD THE BEST

[smoon-37789 · 6/10 · 13 June 2023]

I had this movie in my Netflix queue for several years before finally watching it. I am a big fan of Last Change U Basketball as well as just watching Prep basketball and I always knew shady things happened OR even how these prep schools exist. THis movie does a decent job of showing how adults mishandle the kids knowing good and well they will profit off them. I feel like if given a great director and producers to back this film it could have been a great movie - that being said I am not sure many want this story to be told because millions are being made with this lifestyle. Good sit down movie to watch but the ending def needed work as others have mentioned.

100% accurate movie

[saskpareki · 7/10 · 23 March 2021]

This happens everywhere in basketball , nobody can stop it now. The movie only shows basketball and corruption, as a movie you cant say its great, you could say slow and boring. BUT SHOW IT to all young players and their parents, they need to see it because thats exactly how it goes in real life

Could've been so much more

[drjay_87 · 4/10 · 22 April 2018]

I wanted this to be so much more than it was. Not much weight to its construction and some might even say it lacks genuine feel for the game or the struggle of being a modern student athlete.

Good subject, bad execution.

[spaceboy-95434 · 3/10 · 18 May 2018]

This movie had all of the right ingredients for a powerful message, but failed to stick together in time for the final product.

This kid had severe Dyscalculia, where he depends on blocks in incrementing sizes to correlate numbers with it's context. Even worse, he is at the level where he needs someone to interpret the scoreboard for him. There are references to athletes like Kobe or Lebron who made it to the pros without focusing on academics. Those two players did not make it to the top as dumb jocks. They have athleticism AND intelligence.

So this 8th grade kid comes out of nowhere and attends a school with competitive sports program, and even makes his way into a starting spot within a day of joining. Somehow this team improves because of him and they are in the spotlight, and even receive upgrades to their equipment.

Then there is his father whose hopes of being a professional athlete got derailed and suffers long term affects of a concussion. The kid is somehow convinced his dreams to be a professional athlete will come true, and that his father was destined to suffer his own fate. If this was not delusional, the father pushes his child to enter this student-athlete system and out smart it.

While all of this is happening, this kid got a look under the hood of this student-athlete process, records a conversation and posts it on social media, and that's the end of his journey. After all that, the moral of the story is, schools use student-athletes, and these said students get nothing in return.

There is no development of character! If a boy wants to be a professional basketball player, wouldn't it be helpful to at the very least be able to read the scoreboard? This movie implies it's okay to ignore academics if it is considered acceptable.

It is sad how kids get baited into becoming a student-athlete, but this case has a living example of what it's like to be one and not succeed. How can they now learn from this?

incomplete movie, but good

[santiagoduquec · 9/10 · 4 April 2019]

The movie is very attractive and interesting, but it also has some things to correct.

The film is about a very talented young basketballer, he has difficulties in terms of understanding numbers, which leads him to find new and different ways to communicate with his team and to understand everything from the plays to the scoreboards. The father of this boy is sick because he played many years in an american football team that of course left marks on him, at first it is difficult because his teammates make life impossible, but all this changes when he begins to play. Time later he learns that all his school grades are modified for his good, almost does not have to work to pass the subjects and this will not only be at his school but also at the university. All this is about to change the moment he finds out that his basketball coach bought him with the help of his father, the indignant boy records a conversation between the coach and his father where the truth is discovered, which leads to the total expulsion of the coach and the boy, that is, he will never be able to play basketball again, if not for a clever desicion of the boy who decides to become professional, in this way he would continue his career and he would get ahead along with his family thanks to his earnings.

The key moment in the movie was the part where the boy finds out the truth about how he has been sold and decides to do something about it.

I think script was interesting but it needed to have more information or be longer

The movie flowed really well, it had good effects, but also it was so short so it finished abruptly.

The costume was so good for the movie, you realaized what a real basketball team looks like.



The movie was filmed in a really realistic location, because first you saw an amateur basketball court and then you get surprised looking at the real and professional basketball court.

I think the soundtrack could be better because you didn´t feel involved in the movie at all because the sound was not right.



In conclution the movie is so good, you can have fun watching it, but also its missing something important that it should have, or they spend too much time explaining something thats easy to understand.

Hallmark Quality

[gf-78 · 5/10 · 9 April 2018]

The storyline and acting are as square as can be. The slow mo gameplay footage clearly laughable with opponents clearly not attempting to block advances at all and letting the lead player through what looked like spaces wide as barn doors. Think how boxing scenes in third tier boxing movies always play out: the opponents don't bother to block or duck away from any oncoming punches, they also start turning their heads even before the punch lands...

Writing seems to have been done by someone with no knowledge of neither basketball or reality. For instance: the new young rookie recruit asks if he will be a starter (starting 5 players) in his very first game for his new team. When and where has that ever happened? Also moral aspects are here poorly accentuated in spades. It all feels and reads like a poor Hallmark After School Special.

Fluff

[bmh0024 · 1/10 · 10 April 2018]

This was hard to sit through. Sub par acting and sub par writing. From beginning to end I was left wanting more...such a joke

Bad ending

[blazelangton · 5/10 · 2 November 2018]

Your left off with terror leaving his parents in a limo with the coach looking at endorsement numbers for how much he will be making playing internationally and you never get to see the process of him moving and growing up to be the star he was made out to be in the movie disliked the ending but enjoyed most of the movie

A realistic story

[eldrimezini · 8/10 · 9 April 2018]

Amateur is a simple story that shows the struggles of a talented young basketball player to fit on his new team.This movie reports the corruption on basketball and the way that it has changed.The actors were great,the plot was emotional and really enjoyable.One thing I didn't like about this movie was that the pace of it because it was quite slow.But in general this movie is great and I recommend it.

Disappointing

[tlarraya · 1/10 · 23 July 2018]

This movie was disappointing. We normally like sports movies but this one hasn´t been a hit and it´s surprising that they made this movie without it being a real story.

Two hours of my life I can't get back

[TheRifle717 · 2/10 · 24 April 2021]

Terrible. The acting was bad, the story unrealistic. And to boot, there will now be 8th graders who think they can go pro and play overseas at 14, good luck with that.

Something you'd expect will smith to act in

[dam-61299 · 8/10 · 27 April 2018]

This movie strips the reality of it all back at just the right amount as to not spoil the plot too much but still strike enough of a chord if you've got any personal connection to the game, fantastic watch and very moving

simple

[temka-25156 · 8/10 · 15 April 2019]

I really enjoyed this movie. Definetely basketball class. Everybody who loves the game will enjoy it. The actors are good and can really ball. There is drama , there is comedy , there is friendship , there is life. just believe yourself.

Amazing movie

[mrigor · 10/10 · 6 April 2018]

It keeps your attention throughout the whole movie, it is well written, and acting is also great. There aren't that many plot twists but those that are present are good. Soundtrack is decent, though there aren't any memorable tracks except for the Logic - Ballin' song. Its a well done movie with great actors, and it is definitely worth your watch!

Wonderful story, acting and directing

[michael-botefuhr · 9/10 · 6 April 2018]

With today's internet use and brands investing billions, Amateur exposes the current basketball system. Wonderfully written and directed. Don't miss.

VERY WELL MADE.

[sonofasailor1998 · 10/10 · 6 April 2018]

Underrated. Very well captures the true state of corruption in basketball. Very good acting. Absolutely loved this movie

Blue Chip of today's game.

[slightchance2006 · 10/10 · 9 April 2018]

First off great movie. Nothing like any other basketball movie because the kid is friggin 14. He Got Game although stars the best baller ever Ray Allen is not about the game. Especially a child playing the game. The college game is lost and this is the reason why. It took 20 years for people to listen to Blue Chip. We need to start paying our student athletes because it's hard period to survive. Unemployment is hitting all time lows but 10% are hoarding all the money. If you haven't seen Blue Chip or He Got Game... why? Who are you?

Such a great movie!

[chandlerlovelle · 10/10 · 1 May 2020]

This movie is so touching. The acting and directing are superb!

Great movie about what is happening in youth sports

[tvferraro · 9/10 · 29 December 2018]

Awesome about the world of youth sports and elite athletes.

An interesting look into the life of recruiting

[dukefan48 · 10/10 · 7 April 2018]

This may be a fictional movie, but it certainly seems like it could be a documentary. It certainly encapsulates what high school basketball has become, especially at top-level "schools".