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Special Features
- Deleted scenes with optional audio commentary
- The making of The Heart of the Game
- Beyond The Heart of the Game: including interviews with Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, Coach Bill Resler and Darnelia Russell
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
The Heart of the Game is, simply put, one of the most enjoyable and joyous documentaries ever made. For several years, the movie follows a girls' basketball team called the Rough Riders from a Seattle high school as they strive to win the state championship, and in the process discovers heart-wrenching twists of fate, vivid and compelling characters, colorful dialogue, and a nail-biting conclusion. The Heart of the Game starts with Bill Resler, a professor of tax law who agrees to become the head coach for the girls' basketball program at Roosevelt High School. He swiftly challenges the players with demanding drills and wild metaphors (each year he picks a different theme for the team, from "pack of wolves" to "tropical storm")--and the girls take him on, pulling together into a potent team. But when a girl from a poor neighborhood named Darnellia Russell joins the Rough Riders, her skill takes their fortunes even higher--until she unexpectedly has to quit. From there, the movie takes more and more compelling turns, carried along by the winning personalities of Bill and Darnellia. The Heart of the Game, like Hoop Dreams, works first as an exhilarating sports movie, but has a rich human story that will make it fascinating to people who don't care about basketball. First-time filmmaker Ward Serrill lucked out with the material, but he clearly labored to shape what must have been thousands of hours of footage into a taut, headlong movie. His labor paid off. See this movie. --Bret Fetzer
Product Description
Go courtside for a true-life rush like no other in this passionate and inspirational documentary in the same powerful tradition as Hoop Dreams, Director Ward Serrill brings the camera up close and personal to capture the Roosevelt Roughriders girls' basketball team during six turbulent seasons, taking us far beyond the court. You'll meet Bill REsler, the tax professor turned hard-driving unorthodox coach who turns the team around- and Darnellia Russel, the talented inner-city tough girl who battles off-court threats to regain eligibility. You'll meet a real team full of drive, toughness and the unbridled desire to make history.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
18 of 18 people found the following review helpful
By steveirwin
I often enjoy documentaries - but I can't say i'm a huge fan of girls basketball, and moreso especially highschool girls basketball. However, this movie is awesome!! Edge of your seat excitement, real emotion, real people and the coach (Bill Resler) steals the show. You can't help but be touched by the story, and you'll also be laughing out loud too. It's not often for me that movies hit such a wide range of emotion - and I watch a lot of movies. Heart of the Game is a definite must-see if you like any of the following: comedy, action, drama, sports or uplifting stories. It's truly a film for every age and every gender. I don't often believe the movie critics out there - yet all of them seem to be raving about this film as much as me, so check it out!
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
This absorbing documentary is a fascinating study on the transcendence of sports and teamwork. It features a Seattle high school scrapping and clawing its way to the state basketball girls championship. Its star player, a young black single mother named Darnelia Russell becomes the focal point of the narrative as she must go to court against the Washington Interscholastic Athletic Association to retain her eligibility for high school competition.
Coach Bill Ressler is an unorthodox tax professor turned basketball guru. He harbors and implements a number of quirky ideas which seem to work:
* drills were the girls lean on each other in order to overcome their phobia about physical contact
* players only meetings where the girls or sequestered for hours without coaches in order to resolve interpersonal rivalries and conflicts
* giving each team and animal theme for this season such as pack of wolves, school of Peron is, etc. for a motivational purposes
It becomes clear that Coach Ressler is not just coaching basketball but teaching life lessons. Whether you are a sports fan or not, you will be engrossed by this absorbing documentary of self-transcendence through the discipline of teamwork and athletics
Coach Bill Ressler is an unorthodox tax professor turned basketball guru. He harbors and implements a number of quirky ideas which seem to work:
* drills were the girls lean on each other in order to overcome their phobia about physical contact
* players only meetings where the girls or sequestered for hours without coaches in order to resolve interpersonal rivalries and conflicts
* giving each team and animal theme for this season such as pack of wolves, school of Peron is, etc. for a motivational purposes
It becomes clear that Coach Ressler is not just coaching basketball but teaching life lessons. Whether you are a sports fan or not, you will be engrossed by this absorbing documentary of self-transcendence through the discipline of teamwork and athletics
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Story, The Team, The Coach AND the Director all have "Heart"!
February 23, 2007
Format:DVD
You'll probably come to this film expecting to see a female version of the Academy Award winning documentary Hoop Dreams. At least I did. But it's much more than that. It's the story of a team and it's players but it's also the story of their amazing coach - college tax professor Bill Resler (a REALLY funny guy who you'll not soon forget) and - behind the camera, the film's Writer/Director Ward Serrill. They, as well as one player who sets things in motion, Darnellia Russell, all have that HEART that's in the title!
The best way to see this film is to know nothing going in except it's about a high school girl's basketball team, filmed in "real time". Then let yourself get immersed in it as the story plays out. The less you know, the better. You will laugh and cry and have your spirits lifted in the film's 98-minute length.
But don't stop there. The DVD has HOURS of extras, and that doesn't count the full feature commetary (which I did not listen to). Many of the deleted scenes will add more background and you should watch them. Next watch the 29 minute "On the Road with Heart" short to get some real insight and hear a VERY VERY funny story as told by Coach Resler and having nothing to do with Basketball. Finally you MUST watch the 30 minute "Making off short", which tells it's own story of heart and self-esteem when you learned the story behind Write /Director Serrill's journey to make this film.
This is a great sports film but also a film that every teenage girl should see. It's rated PG-13 but I don't remember even hearing what is called "Brief Strong Language".
The film only played some small festivals and hopefully will reach a wider audience on DVD. Come for the feature and stay for the bonus features. You won't be sorry (or bored either!).
Steve Ramm "Anything Phonographic"
The best way to see this film is to know nothing going in except it's about a high school girl's basketball team, filmed in "real time". Then let yourself get immersed in it as the story plays out. The less you know, the better. You will laugh and cry and have your spirits lifted in the film's 98-minute length.
But don't stop there. The DVD has HOURS of extras, and that doesn't count the full feature commetary (which I did not listen to). Many of the deleted scenes will add more background and you should watch them. Next watch the 29 minute "On the Road with Heart" short to get some real insight and hear a VERY VERY funny story as told by Coach Resler and having nothing to do with Basketball. Finally you MUST watch the 30 minute "Making off short", which tells it's own story of heart and self-esteem when you learned the story behind Write /Director Serrill's journey to make this film.
This is a great sports film but also a film that every teenage girl should see. It's rated PG-13 but I don't remember even hearing what is called "Brief Strong Language".
The film only played some small festivals and hopefully will reach a wider audience on DVD. Come for the feature and stay for the bonus features. You won't be sorry (or bored either!).
Steve Ramm "Anything Phonographic"
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great story
Husband coaches girls high school basketball so I bought this for him. He loved it. Great story with a good ending. We both like movies that have a narrator.
Published 16 days ago by Magillicutty
4.0 out of 5 stars
Must watch for all girls with basketball goals
Good story about persistence in the game. The coachs' unique form of motivation was delightful. Film's focus on a great rivalry helps make this film top rate.
Published 2 months ago by Jack Hutchison
3.0 out of 5 stars
the heart of the game
The Heart of the Game
The movie looked better on t v it was ok , more like a doc.
The movie looked better on t v it was ok , more like a doc.
Published 4 months ago by bandit
5.0 out of 5 stars
I loved this film
This film follows for seven years the journey of Bill Resler, a college tax professor in Seattle, Washington, as he takes on the job of moonlighting as a high school girls'... Read more
Published 6 months ago by Joyce
4.0 out of 5 stars
Is "The Big Game" Still a Cliche if It's Real
How is it that even sports documentaries seem to end with the great film cliché, "The Big Game"? Read more
Published on March 26, 2010 by Dean A. Anderson
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Heart of the Game
This is a great story an there is an excellent message for us all. I'm glad to add this to my collection.
Published on September 25, 2009 by David Kunkel
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great womens basketball movie
Great movie at a great price! If you like womens basketball you will love this movie!
Published on April 11, 2009 by Larry Proctor
4.0 out of 5 stars
Best Basketball Doc Since Hoop Dreams
THE HEART OF THE GAME How is it that even sports documentaries seem to end with the great film cliché, "The Big Game"? Read more
Published on November 29, 2008 by Dean A. Anderson
4.0 out of 5 stars
Art, Miami
I caught the last half of this documentary on cable and was immediately mesmerized. It's a wonderful story of persistence and the fact that it plays out over a six year period... Read more
Published on August 25, 2008 by Arthur Noriega V
4.0 out of 5 stars
Heart of the Game
This is a great movie as far as life lessons and high school sports go. I coach girls basketball and plan on having everyone watch this film. Read more
Published on June 13, 2008 by Jeffrey A. Kalama Jr.
