Film description

The acronyms NHL, NFL, NBA constitute the essence of American team sports, brimming with dreamy prestige, unimaginable money, millions of fans and shots at history. Lenny Cooke, a simple Brooklyn boy, had all that within reach. Billed as the next Michael Jordan, in 2001, Cooke was rated the nation’s #4 high-school player, leaving behind even LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony. Meanwhile, the latter two triumph on the court and bask in the American dream, but obese Lenny clumsily lumbers off the couch, because no NBA team drafted him. The Safdie brothers’ documentary shows the painful clash of dreams and reality, but also considers the responsibility and morality of the American sports machine that hides hypocrisy in very attractive packaging.

Prepared by: Kuba Armata