Stephen Curry: Underrated (2023)

Stephen Curry: Underrated (2023)

PG-13

appletv

A straightforward piece of celebrity brand reinforcement that delivers on emotionally charged basketball action anyway

6.7

Movie

United States of America
English
Documentary
2023
PETER NICKS
Ayesha Curry, Bob McKillop, Draymond Green
110 min

TLDR

Inspiring, up until the point my 5'6" Southeast Asian self heard about how people rejected Steph Curry for only being 5'10" in school.

What it's about

A look back at the amateur career of NBA superstar Steph Curry, especially his stint with the Davidson Wildcats in the NCAA.

The take

As one of the most recognizable and successful NBA players in the world today, Stephen Curry certainly doesn't need a documentary to persuade anyone else about his talent and the legacy he's already created in basketball. This definitely robs Underrated of some of its urgency, knowing that the Golden State Warrior has the luxury of ruminating on his victories and failures from a place of comfort. Still, the film's decision to focus on a young Curry before reaching the height of his powers allows us to watch these long stretches of game time through a different emotional lens. His is a classic underdog story that's probably far more common among players in the league, but it's still entertaining to be able to track his growth from game to game.

What stands out

It's just a little detail, but it really is refreshing to get so much uninterrupted game footage in this documentary without talking heads commenting over every play. The footage we see is still boiled down to highlights, but it's good that director Peter Nicks trusts the audience enough to let the basketball speak for itself and to allow us to catch on to what's happening by ourselves. And since the majority of the games we see are from the NCAA, there's a lot less showboating and no big superstar moves—just kids with dreams playing as a team, as it arguably should be.

Comments

Add a comment

UP NEXT 

UP NEXT 

UP NEXT 

Minbo: the Gentle Art of Japanese Extortion (1992)

Alternatively, a hilarious, satiric guide to dealing with pesky organized crime

8.3

The Resurrection of Jake The Snake (2015)

The inspiring, gritty journey of how pro wrestler Jake "The Snake" Roberts turned his life around

8.0

Fern Brady: Autistic Bikini Queen (2024)

Fern Brady's comedy is friendly and absurd in the best way

7.0

Bray Wyatt: Becoming Immortal (2024)

WWE’s best effort to pay tribute to Windham “Bray Wyatt” Rotunda

8.5

Hail Satan? (2019)

Forget everything you think you know about the Satanic Temple

8.0

Incendies (2011)

Part melodrama, part war thriller, Incendies is gorgeous and heartbreaking from the first scene

9.9

The Farewell (2019)

Awkwafina shines in this complex culture clash comedy.

9.1

Short Term 12 (2013)

Sweet, slow-moving, and possibly life-changing, this American drama shines the light on the chaos and crises of social work in America

9.9

Booksmart (2019)

Two academic overachievers from high school set out to prove that they're a smart and fun for one last time.

9.0

Mister Organ (2022)

A filmmaker chases — and then struggles to escape — a shady figure in this fascinating and disturbing documentary

8.1

Curated by humans, not algorithms.

agmtw logo

© 2024 agoodmovietowatch, all rights reserved.