Rise

The new Disney+ dramatization of the hardscrabble young life of NBA superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo and his brother is a joyous celebration of family and determination.

The beauty of movies is that it can take the dry recitation of historical facts and put into a full, human, colorful display that evokes empathy for other people. “Rise,” a new feature from Disney+ that depicts (and slightly dramatizes) the hardscrabble young life of NBA superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo and his brother, Thanasis, accomplishes this as well as anything I’ve seen of late.

Here’s one of the best sports movies in the last couple of years.

I knew going in that Giannis and Thanasis grew up in their adopted homeland of Greece after their parents emigrated from Nigeria, that they had a tough life and at one point were briefly homeless. But this film, directed by Akin Omotoso and written by Arash Amel — with the full cooperation and blessing of the Antetokounmpo clan — lays out exactly what a terrible ordeal they had.

Having emigrated illegally, Charles and his wife, Veronica (Dayo Okeniyi and Yetide Badaki), were essentially nationless people, always on the run, or about to. As the story opens they are living in Turkey, and when the immigration police raid the building, they quickly and calmly stash their meager belongings underneath the bed to make their apartment seem unoccupied while they hide.

Their lives are spent always on the verge of flight.

In Greece they get by staying under the radar of the government, Charles working menial, low-paying jobs while Veronica and their four sons hawk sunglasses, bags and other items to tourists. The boys sleep four to a bad — a fifth son remains in Nigeria with grandparents — while the parents are resigned to the couch.

They’re perpetually late on the rent or having their water utility shut off. But the love that binds them is stronger than oak.

Raised in a soccer culture — Charles was a rising star as a young man — Giannis and Thanasis surprise their parents when they show an interest in basketball. They have to beg permission to take the bus all the way across town after school to practice with a marginal youth team because it’s the only option that’s free. They even share the same pair of shoes, swapping when they sub out for each other during games, to the titters of opposing players.

Charles is constantly afraid that the family will be discovered and deported. As the boys’ profiles rise along with their b-ball skills, this becomes a very real danger. Malevolent figures hold the option of turning them in over their heads to threaten and coerce. The father struggles with wanting his children to pursue the dreams he couldn’t, but must think of the others as well.

They encounter plenty of anti-immigrant backlash, ranging from indifference from government bureaucrats to xenophobic rallies threatening violence. Scary stuff.

Uche Agada and Ral Agada play Giannis and Thanasis, respectively. Both making their feature film acting debut, it would be fair to say that they were chosen more for their ability to believably play very tall basketball players than wow-factor thespian skills. Probably easier than finding veteran teen actors who can pass as 6’11”, I’m guessing.

Still, they and the rest of the cast give unlayered, heartfelt performances as earnest, well-meaning people caught in a very challenging situation. It’s telling that even when it would benefit them more by lying or shading the truth, Giannis’ first instinct is to be upfront with coaches or talent scouts about their undocumented status.

Another aspect of the story that may surprise is that initially Thanasis was seen as the sure-fire star prospect, while younger brother Giannis was regarded as a bit of a stiff who couldn’t shoot a jumper to save his life. It’s Thanasis who first draws an offer of real money to play for a pro team, though things don’t work out the way they’d hoped.

Tales of greedy, scheming agents are rife in modern sports stories, so it’s nice to see one portrayed in a positive light here. That would be Haris Eleftheriou (Efthimis Chalkidis), a hungry young agent who takes on Giannis with hopes of getting him signed to a Spanish team. In a way, he’s a reflection of his client — somebody who’s been kicked around and dismissed, and uses that as fuel for their ambitions.

The big hurdle is that the Antetokounmpos insist on bringing along the entire families with visas, so they can finally have a home where they can live without fear. Things end up working out in a way that is unexpected for everyone, where the family must risk everything they’ve built for the chance to see all their wildest dreams come true.

“Rise” is at once both a typical and unusual sports movie. There is the familiar story arc of big dreams followed by setbacks and ascent to glory. But mostly what makes this a terrific basketball story is that it’s more about the Antetokounmpos and their love for each other than X’s and O’s on the court.

Sports flick? I take it back — this is an uplifting family story that will wrap your heart in a loving embrace.