Love and Basketball: Difference between revisions

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Quincy McCall (played by Epps) and Monica Wright (Lathan) have been next-door neighbors and [[Vitriolic Best Buds]] since childhood, with both sharing a great love for basketball and aspiring to become stars in the NBA leagues. The film chronicles their intertwining lives over a decade, as they grow from childhood to high school, then move on to college and finally chase their respective dreams. Along the way, they both must cope with individual trials, disappointments, and their ever-present attraction toward each other both on and off the court.

For those who haven't seen it yet, '''spoilers will be marked.'''

 

* [[Absurdly High Stakes Game]]:

'''Monica:''' {{spoiler|Your heart}}. }}

* [[Action Girl]]: Monica would rather play basketball than be feminine. It's a source of conflict between her and her mother.

* [[Broken Pedestal]]: Quincy's father. Quincy believes in Mr. McCall in spite of the scandalous rumors of the older man having an extramarital affair...and then it turns out the rumors are true.

* [[Casanova]]: Quincy develops this reputation during high school and college, much to Monica's distaste.

'''Monica:''' [[Blatant Lies|I don't]]. }}

* [[Character Development]]: Monica undergoes it twice, first to overcome her hot temper, and then to combat her cocky attitude on the court.

* [[Kiss Kiss Slap]]: Early in the movie, when the two are children.

* [[Ironic Echo]]: Early in the movie, when Quincy's studying, he exclaims in frustration that he can't get it. Cue this exchange:

'''Quincy:''' "Can't" should never be in a man's vocabulary. }}

** Then later, after Quincy finds out his dad's an adulterer:

'''Quincy:''' I always thought that "can't" wasn't in a man's vocabulary. }}

** Quincy himself acts this way {{spoiler|when he breaks up with Monica}}. To be fair to him, though, he'd [[Heroic BSOD|just found out]] his father was a [[Broken Pedestal]].

* [[Precision F-Strike]]

* [[The Rival]]: Sidra, again. By the last quarter of the movie, [[Character Development|it's become more of a friendly nature]].

* [[Serious Business]]: Basketball is this for both main characters.

* [[Shirtless Scene]]: Omar Epps gets a couple. [[Estrogen Brigade Bait]] for the female viewers.

* [[Scars Are Forever]]: The scar Monica got from her first meeting with Quincy fades gradually over time, but it's still present.

* [[Time Skip]]: The film is split into four parts, called quarters (1st quarter, 2nd quarter, etc.) after the basketball time segments. The first quarter covers Quincy and Monica in their childhood; then the second quarter skips to their high school days; then the third quarter covers their first few years of college; The fourth and final quarter showcases their post-college years, when both are involved in professional basketball.

* [[Title Drop]]: Done by Quincy during the climactic one-on-one basketball game between himself and Monica.

* [[Tomboy and Girly Girl]]: Monica and her sister Lena, respectively.

* [[Very Loosely Based on a True Story]]: Monica Wright is a WNBA player; she and her team won the 2011 championship.

* [[Vitriolic Best Buds]]: Quincy and Monica, for most of their lives.

* [["Well Done, Son" Guy|Well Done Daughter Girl]]: Monica's mother. All Monica wanted was for her mother to approve of her playing basketball, but Mrs. Wright always felt Monica was too tomboyish. Then late into the film, we get this:

'''Monica:''' [[Tear Jerker|It mattered, Mama. It mattered.]] }}

* [[What the Hell, Hero?]]: A subdued version--Quincy chides Monica for {{spoiler|confessing that she loves him}} when his wedding is only two weeks away. {{spoiler|Turns out he reciprocates}}.

[[Category:The Eighties]]

[[Category:Films of the 2000s]]