Ball Don't Lie Themes and Influences Brainstorm

'He Got Game', Directed by Spike Lee

Themes

- unreliable narrator; the idea that memory is subjective and highlighting the difference between objective reality and memory 

- basketball! basketball as a high intensity and entertaining sport within communities, a springboard for the rest of the shorts' story. 

- friendship; the mundanity of a day out with a friend. Real life often isn't quite as interesting as our memories of stories. 

Influences

- Ellington Kid; unreliable narrator and framing story, flashback structure

- Tight Jeans; natural dialogue between friends (sense of verisimilitude) 

- Do The Right Thing; aesthetics, orange/red colour palette, hot day, Radio Raheem = CD Chris 

- He Got Game + White Men Can't Jump; expressive editing with basketball