Customer Reviews

Through The Fire

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have a friend who got me an advance copy, and this is a great movie, and a great DVD too. The story is captivating and incredibly emotional, and the features on the DVD really fill in some of the background that the film doesn't get into, as well as showing some more incredible court highlights. Well worth the price!

You don't need to be a sports fan to enjoy this amazing film. I was completely engrossed in the movie from the beginning and Sebastian Telfair is so likeable that you root for him until the end. Even if you know the outcome of the film, it's fascinating to watch the year unfold as he navigates through his season, all the attention, media srutiny, corporate sponsors, etc. The access that the Director had to this kid is incredible and you see first-hand what it's like to be one of these gifted yet poor athletes from the ghetto who are under tremendous pressure to turn pro for the sake of their families financial security.

The movie is very similar to Hoop Dreams (with a happier ending), but it's the modern day version given how the economics of sports have changed so dramatically. You read about teenagers turning into professional athletes all the time, but in this documentary you get to see for the first time what it's like to be one of those kids and what it takes to make it big.

Really excited to own this on DVD which is extended and uncensored, since ESPN probably did some heavy editing to make this broadcast friendly and the bonus material should really round out the story.

This along with 25 Strong and Soul in The Hole is another great film showcasing the passion the people of Brooklyn have for the game of basketball. A compelling story for all. A basketball story, a family story and a neighborhood story.

I thoroughly enjoyed this doc and I really felt I got a chance to really identify with Sebastian. I also came to admire him as a person, whereas before, I barely recognized him as a player. I found it thrilling and motivating and I know the students with whom I share this story will be inspired by this film.

My husband and I sat down to watch this one Sunday night, and I wanted to slap myself for overlooking it time and time again!! I'm not even certain I should call this a documentary, because everything about it reads "movie." From the love this family has for each other to the trappings of "Hollywood" fame and fortune. Regardless of what Sebastian has accomplished in the NBA, you have to be one cold hearted person to not root for this guy in the end. Simply put- he's one special kid. You'll feel like you're in the room when his name is selected in the NBA draft. The connection he has with his family is one for the record books, even if his stats aren't. It's just a feel-good movie you can watch simply because you love the game.

Watched documentary with my 10 grade son. I wanted him to get a clue about goal setting and dedication.

I saw and still love "Hoop Dreams" and it was an example of the reality of high school basketball stars who don't make it to the pros. But this film is about a HS star that did make it, and it also documents the realities of becoming pro - good and bad.

I think the most interesting part of this film was when he goes overseas to see his brother on a European team. When we think about basetballers "going pro" we automatically think the NBA, but we're reminded that there's an even bigger world out there and that pro basketball is a worldwide phenomenon. Also its a reminder to young Sebastien Telfair that the hardest part about being a pro baller is staying pro - he saw how hard his brother works to stay in the Euro leagues and gets an understanding that he'll have to work very hard to be in the NBA.

This movie is great for everyone, not just sports fans. Young kids can get many good messages from this movie.

My mind is overwhelmed by the craziness of the world of inner city basketball. A whole bunch of really really talented kids showing amazing moves on the court, never shown studying, and using A LOT of profanity. Also, the coach is at no point that I can tell actually doing much more than yelling at his players and cussing and saying loud boisterous motivational things. I think I could oscillate between over-hyped congratulatory proclamations and profanity-laced denouncements of my players, without apparently saying much about strategy or any X's and O's and be the coach of this team. Now I know some people will think sour things of this review, but I am simply a high school teacher watching this movie from my own idiosyncratic perspective as I come from a world where instead of going for a .001% chance of getting into the NBA and getting really rich, you go for about a 98% chance of finishing college and making about $50-85,000 a year. So to write a proactive review response to others that might read this, f the haters and remember it's all good...

Actually it's a pretty good documentary from the perspective of Sebastian the those around him and their thoughts on what he's going through during the end of his junior year until the beginning of his NBA career, just keeping it real.

p.s. the best part has to be when Sebastian's older brother is going on and on about "We got Benzes and little Bentleys and Mini-backs. What they gonna say now? All type of diamonds and stuff. What they gonna say now? They can't say nothing. You now what I'm saying?" Yes-I think I know what you might be trying to say, peace out...

if compares to 'hoop (broken)dreams', this 'through the fire' is just messy, poorly shot and edited documentary. there's only one thing positive in this docu, that is, a stable family with good parents and brothers could put the nba dream come true. but once been drafted by the trail blazer, sebastian telfair suddenly became an ordinary and mediocre nba player, you'd better check out his nba playing record to see the fact. the other thing about this so-so documentary is the production team never put anything about his high school education in the picture. what we've seen is a bunch of foul mouthed high school basketball team members with a foul mouthed lincoln high basketball coach, 'tiny', no matter in the high school gym, on the bus, in the car, on the courts, they just foul mouthed with lota F or M...F.
everything is so superfluously shot and done in this documentary. sebastian's brother who later plays abroad in a greek team, actually is a player with better physical conditions but short of charisma. a nba player like sebastian with the height of 6' build mostly would be doomed to be mediocre.
for what the purpose of this documentary, $$$$ still dominates over everything. expensive fast cars, new houses, gold rolex with diamonds. for the love of basketball, money is indeed the only incentive and the sole ultimate american dream. suppose there's no money in every sports, only a medal or a handshake with the whitehouse host, i think all the basketball courts, not just in those housing projects in new york or in the whole america, or in the whole world, would certainly and suddenly become so deserted.
if this documentary was done by the production team of the 'hoop dreams', it might have turned out totally different and in more depth.