Rating: PG
Genre:
Comedy
Theatrical Release: 07/03/2002(USA)
Release Date: 12/10/2002
SubTitles: English/Espanol
Dubbed: English/French/Espanol
Sound: DD5.1/DS
Run Time: 100 Minutes
Flags: Suitable for Children, Adult Language
Distributor/Studio: 20th Century Fox
Pint-size
rap music star
Lil Bow Wow shows that he can play ball as well as he
raps in this youth-oriented
comedy about a young boy whose dream comes true in an unexpected way.
Calvin Cambridge (
Lil Bow Wow) is a 14-year-old boy, who, since the death of his parents, has been living in an orphanage run by the unpleasantly eccentric
Stan Bittleman (
Crispin Glover). While the tough but caring
Sister Theresa (
Anne Meara) tries to encourage the kids,
Calvin knows that he and most of the other kids his age are poor prospects for adoption.
Calvin loves basketball and idolizes
Michael Jordan, but he's too short to be much of a challenge to the older kids when shooting hoop at the playground. One day,
Calvin discovers a pair of old basketball sneakers with the initials "MJ" written on the inside.
Calvin is convinced they once belonged to
Michael Jordan, but he can hardly believe what happens when he puts them on -- suddenly he's able to make superhuman jump shots and dunks just like a miniature version of Air Jordan himself.
Calvin's newly developed talent on the court comes to the attention of
Frank Bernard (
Eugene Levy), the manager of the Los Angeles Knights, an NBA team having a humiliating season.
Bernard brings
Calvin to the team as a novelty item, but with the help of
Coach Wagner (
Robert Forster) and the new kid's can-do attitude, the Knights start to climb out of the cellar and look like possible season champs. However,
Tracey Reynolds (
Morris Chestnut), who used to be the team's star player, isn't happy to have his thunder stolen by a 14-year-old boy -- especially when he's made
Calvin's roommate and de-facto guardian on the road.
Like Mike also features cameo appearances by a number of pro basketball stars, including
Allen Iverson,
Chris Webber, and
Jason Kidd.
~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide