High Flying Bird

2019

1 hr. 30 min.

Drama

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91%

138 Reviews

Tomatometer

50%

250+ Ratings

Audience Score

A sports agent pitches a controversial business opportunity to a rookie basketball player during a lockout.

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Critics Consensus

High Flying Bird takes a thoughtful and engrossing look at professional sports that sees Steven Soderbergh continuing to test the limits of new filmmaking technology.

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Andrea C

Interessante ed originale film sul basket, o meglio sul mondo che gira intorno al basket professionistico negli USA. La situazione del cosiddetto "lockout", molto reale in quanto più volte accaduta dagli anni '90 in poi, viene ben raccontata ed analizzata, così come l'utilizzo dei social media come parte ormai totalmente integrante della comunicazione (anche ad alti livelli) ed in grado di essere enormemente centrale nella sceneggiatura. Molto interessante l'inserimento delle testimonianze di 3 veri giocatori NBA sui loro anni da matricole nella lega. Purtroppo questo è l'unico accenno di "realtà" presente nel film; tutto il resto è frutto di fantasia, prendere o lasciare. Parte però della bravura dello sceneggiatore e del regista Soderbergh è proprio quella di far sembrare la trama qualcosa di realmente accaduto, per nulla semplice o scontato.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

06/13/23

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HENRY A

Perfect movie to see during the NBA Finals, taught me what it was all about. The Game.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/02/23

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Jackson M

Low energy, no plot, and poor cinematography.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

02/15/23

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Audience Member

Technically fascinating - it was shot an iPhone, meaning we get to see events from perspectives rarely possible with more conventional techniques. It's well-acted also, a decent script - it's just a little dramatically inert, especially of you're sporting interests lie outside the NBA. It raises important issues around race in the context of professional sport and economics, but it needs more to grip us and make us care

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/07/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Steven Soderbergh has an interesting take on the NBA draft system in this thought-provoking feature. However, entertainment value is not it's strongest point and I'm not sure I'd want to watch it again. With that said the editing style is pretty novel and does add an extra layer of interest to the film.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/03/23

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Audience Member

I'll admit my bias right up front - I love basketball. So, to see a story loosely based on the 2011 NBA lockout was interesting. To see a story with a "behind the scenes" look, actual interview snippets with NBA players, a gym in south Bronx teaching youngsters the game, all of it was enjoyable. Do you have to be a basketball nut to enjoy this story? I don't think so, but it helps.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/12/23

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Steven Soderbergh

Director

André Holland

Ray Burke

Zazie Beetz

Sam

Bill Duke

Spencer

Sonja Sohn

Myra

Melvin Gregg

Erick Scott

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High Flying Bird: Trailer 1

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Guy Lodge

Guardian

Soderbergh's liveliest, most big-thinking work since Magic Mike, this is a quick, zingy, all-business sports drama that plays like Jerry Maguire with twin degrees in economics and sociology.

Rated: 4/5

Dec 11, 2019

Full Review

Andrea Gronvall

Chicago Reader

Directed, shot, and edited by Steven Soderbergh, this cerebral Netflix original is an even more incisive drama about the business of sports than Moneyball.

Dec 11, 2019

Full Review

Kimberley Jones

Austin Chronicle

McCraney understands rhythm and melody. His dialogue has real musicality, and these actors -- this cast is so good -- deliver their lines accordingly; they know when to lean into the beat, when to sotto voce, when to sound the timpani.

Dec 11, 2019

Full Review

Dallas King

Flick Feast

Easily the best film about sports since Moneyball and a complete slam dunk for Soderbergh who is having a much more significant and successful return from retirement than Michael Jordan!

Rated: 4/5

Nov 10, 2022

Full Review

Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

As a filmmaker who likes to tackle a variety of subjects in a variety of different ways, this is a movie right up Soderbergh’s alley.

Rated: 4/5

Aug 21, 2022

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

More than the cast or even Soderbergh's direction, McCraney's writing is the star of the show.

Rated: 3.5/4

Mar 4, 2022

Full Review

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Synopsis

A sports agent pitches a controversial business opportunity to a rookie basketball player during a lockout.

Director: Steven Soderbergh
Executive Producer: André Holland, Ken Meyer
Screenwriter: Tarell Alvin McCraney
Production Co: Extension 765
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 8, 2019
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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