Ballin' at the Graveyard

Anyone making a documentary about basketball inevitably runs into comparisons with the classic Hoop Dreams. This nonfiction feature by Basil Anastassiou and Paul Kentoffio takes a different approach to the subject, moving beyond the often-elusive world of pursuing NBA careers to focus on pickup basketball in predominantly African-American urban centers. In this case, the central location is Washington Park in Albany, NY, nicknamed “The Graveyard” because the park was once a cemetery. Co-director Anastassiou, himself a pickup game player, serves as both narrator and participant in the action, which is rough and rude, not only lacking the finesse of pro b-ball action, but also featuring players who are not shy about delivering scatological diatribes at high decibel levels. While Ballin' at the Graveyard certainly entertains the viewer by capturing the sweaty fury of the pickup game, the film also follows players back to their daily lives, where they are serious about their respective family and work responsibilities. Ballin' at the Graveyard is wonderfully filmed and edited, and the men featured here are charismatic. An often vibrant and engaging sports and social documentary, this is recommended. (P. Hall)