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Jim Brown All American
Average Customer Review : 5.0/5 based on 5 reviews
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List Price : $14.98
Price : $6.49
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Editorial Reviews
Spike Lee directs a flawed but fascinating portrait of the sports legend, actor, and activist in Jim Brown: All American. Interviewing former coaches, teammates, and celebrity observers (including Oliver Stone), and with Brown's cooperation, this HBO documentary is best at detailing Brown's early life. Briefly raised by a great-grandmother in Georgia, Brown moved to Long Island, where he found a supportive, predominantly white, community that encouraged his high school victories in basketball, lacrosse, tennis, and, of course, football. He encounters racism at Syracuse University, but Brown's performance and pride overwhelmed all resistance. The Cleveland Browns chapter explains how Brown dominated the game, and then Lee ventures into his subject's experiences in Hollywood and as an African American community leader. The film is engaging and disciplined until controversial issues arise--Brown's alleged abuse toward women, for example--and Lee refuses to press. But in general, this is a good piece about a charismatic, dynamic figure. --Tom Keogh
Spotlight Reviews
SIMPLY THE BEST (2008-11-19)
Customer Review : 5
As Jim Brown gets up there in years, there are an increasing number of tributes to him, both in print and on video. This has to be the best video version you'll find.
There's lots of athletes we watch. There's very few we listen to. Without exception, every time you listen to Jim Brown, you will learn something new. You may not agree 100 percent. But you will learn.
Brown could have gotten lazy and traded on his celebrity for decades. But he quit football, and later the movies, ahead of schedule to spend time with at-risk youth in need of a steady hand and inspiration.
There's no way to count how many men Brown ran over, just as there's no way to count how many young men he saved.
Get it. Learn something.
Stick to Documentaries, Spike Lee! (2008-08-14)
Customer Review : 4
Spike Lee has created some of the best documentaries in the history of the genre.
"Four Little Girls" and "When the Levees Broke; a Requiem in Four-Act," by themselves, justifies that statement.
"Jim Brown; All-American" given it's obvioiusly lesser subject-matter than the two aforementioned documentaries, is also a worthy effort on Spike's part.
Spike's movies are too cynical for my tastes -- but his documentaries are inspiring, moving and represent, to my way of thinking, his best efforts as an artist.
One can hear in his voice-over to this piece on Jim Brown not only his commitment to tell Jim Brown's story "like it is" -- the good as well as the bad -- but also, and most importantly, his social and political consciousness as well as his social and political *conscience.*
American filmakers take note: films are not just an industry, they can be -- and should be -- a force for social good. And Spike Lee has shown that he can lead the way.
Nothing achieves the level of art -- ever! -- without an acknowledgement on the part of the author of the social, political and economic forces that influence our lives. So you're in the game, Spike Lee. Don't let us down!
Complex Subject; Complex Life (2006-12-01)
Customer Review : 5
This documentary is probably more balanced thatn ESPN's and FOX's versions combined. Subjects like Jim Brown are difficult to be encapsuled in such a short time, but Spike probably did as good a job as any filmmaker could.
I also agree agout the balance concerning his legal issues. Allowing multiple parties to express their perspectives gives the viewer the responsibility to make up his/her own mind.
The most impressive thing was Jim expressing lament and remorse for not being the father he wanted to be for his children (prior to his present marriage to Monique and their two children). He took responsibility for their development and stated that by dealing with his personal survival and conflict with their respective mothers, the children suffer.
Overall, I highly recommend this documetary to anyone who says that athletes are one-dimensional and superficial.
Very Good Documentary (2004-08-08)
Customer Review : 5
Jim Brown is One of the Greatest athletes ever&a very down to earth&given cat. this special showcases His Career&also His Many Endevours at given back to the Community through the years. he has touched so many lives for so long.He truly reached back&has a made a world of difference.very moving&a History making Brother.
Jim Brown All American (2004-02-27)
Customer Review : 5
I have seen only one Spike Lee movie so what I'm about to say is said (by my own admission) with ignorance, but Jim Brown All American must be his masterpiece... his tour de force. This hour long documentary deeply explores not only the incredible athletic career of this exceptional athlete but also the obstacles-- notably prejudice-- over which Jim Brown had to prevail on his way to greatness. It also reveals what makes Jim Brown an exceptional (and admirable) human being off the playing field as well. His capacity for love and forgiveness, portrayed in the opening scene of the documentary, impressed me at least as much as did his absolutely unbelievable performances on the football AND lacrosse fields. At the same time, I was very impressed with Mr. Lee's evenhanded and thoughtful treatment of Jim Brown's legal troubles. He didn't whitewash or paper over this turbulent aspect of Jim Brown's life. He also documented the critical intervention of many good people in his formative years without whom Jim Brown's life might have taken a different course. I know what you're thinking..."This guy's just another rabid Cleveland Browns fan in his 50's who grew up rooting for Jim Brown." Not so. I'm a rabid Chicago Bears fan in his 50's who sees Jim Brown and Gale Sayers starting in the same backfield on God's All-Universe Team. The documentary was informative, entertaining, and-- above all-- inspiring. I can't wait until it is issued so I can buy it for myself and show it to all the aging Cleveland Browns fans who surround me in my cul-de-sac. I wish I could give it more than five stars.
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