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A de facto sequel/spinoff to "Hoop Dreams," "Elevate" is a strong documentary that offers a new twist on the tale of the aspiring professional basketball player by adding a cultural barrier.
"Elevate" tells the story of a group of students in the African nation of Senegal, where the per capita income is $980 — per year — and a small number of students are given the opportunity to attend the SEEDS Academy, where U.S. prep schools send scouts to pluck the best Senegal players. If things go well, they will be awarded a visa to study in America and play at a prestigious private school. If things go really well, college and perhaps the NBA will be in their future.
It's easy to see that these boys idolize NBA players. Their brightly colored NBA gear stands in stark contrast to the country's brown-yellow tones, and they talk of being in the NBA like Dikembe Mutombo and Kobe Bryant.
Some find themselves shut out by the system, unable to obtain a visa, and you get the feeling that with a coach's backing, they might have been able to get one.
The coaches who visit swarm like piranha around the students, primping and polishing them in hopes that they have what it takes to reach the next level.
Three students who make it through the first step include Aziz, a 7-footer who earns a place at Lake Forest Academy in Illinois, and Dethie and Assane, who attend South Kent in Connecticut.
One difference between these guys and your stereotypical inner-city kid who wants to make it: These guys are interested in an education. Their studies, their English and fitting in culturally is important to them, and they work on those skills as much as they do their work on the court. We see them in the classroom as well as the hardwood, and it's obvious these are well-rounded kids.
"Elevate" gives you likable people to root for, showing their personalities, their fears and their strengths. They are all personable and interesting, and we see a nice mix of both their sports and their personal lives, so they come off as more than just another group of guys wanting to hit it big in the NBA. They want to become better people, and that makes a big difference in this film.
Featuring solid drama on a global scale, "Elevate" shows that basketball truly is a worldwide game.