A dramatization of the life of Earl 'The Goat' Manigault (Don Cheadle), with a lot of factual based occurrences. A reformed junkie returns from prison to clean up his act and devote the rest of his life to the young kids of Harlem. 1996 was the 25th anniversary of the first tournament named after him.
Acting
Cheadle's quiet devastation carries every scene
Direction
La Salle's love letter to Harlem basketball culture
Writing
Avoids hagiography — shows the cost of the legend
Director
Eriq La Salle
Don Cheadle
Earl Manigault
James Earl Jones
Dr. McDuffie
Michael Beach
Legrand
Ronny Cox
Coach Scarpelli
Loretta Devine
Miss Mary
Glynn Turman
Coach Powell
Monica Calhoun
Evonne
Michael Ralph
Dion
Daryl Mitchell
Dean Memminger
Forest Whitaker
Mr. Rucker
Nicole Ari Parker
Wanda
Tamara Tunie
Miss Marcus
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Self
Eriq La Salle
Diego
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The real Earl Manigault died just months before filming began; he never saw Cheadle's portrayal. The 1996 tournament mentioned in the closing text was actually the first annual event.
This was Eriq La Salle's directorial debut — Dr. Benton from ER stepping behind the camera to tell a Harlem story with nuance rarely afforded to Black sports narratives in the '90s.
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