Dennis Haysbert was hesitant to play another cheater after Waiting to Exhale, but told Jet he took it for the father-son relationship. — Jemele Hill
It was the second time Omar Epps played a Quincy who went by Q and the second time he dated Tyra Banks on screen. — Bill Simmons
The director wanted Maxwell's This Woman's Work despite the cost, kept it in for Sundance without the rights, and lobbied the studio head until he paid. — Bill Simmons
A parallel regret: not fighting to keep the expensive original score for the 30 for 30 The Two Escobars. — Bill Simmons
Lathan never played basketball again, which is called sad given how hard she worked; she seems traumatized by the filming. — Bill Simmons
Soundtrack; 11-year-old Quincy's 'you want to be my girl'; Dennis Haysbert; the casting; Black high school cheerleaders; the USC coach's haircut; Monica's life-you-want line; roommates watching the dorm drama; the college party scene; gender conversations; the ex-player's struggle; Zeke's meeting excuse
Eleven-year-old Quincy asking 'you want to be my girl' is adorable; boys at the time usually asked 'will you go with me.' — Jemele Hill
Dennis Haysbert is one participant's what's-aged-best: Heat, Waiting to Exhale, Major League, then President David Palmer on 24, said to have paved the way for Obama, then the Allstate commercials. — Bill Simmons
Haysbert's roles often lean toward the no-good man, but here he is a caring father and bad husband, and Q's disillusion with his parents' marriage is a nuanced thread. — Jemele Hill
The high school cheerleaders and their chants are saluted as the real Black high school cheerleader experience, compared with the sanitized All American version. — Jemele Hill
The film balances present-day themes with nostalgia, especially through the New Edition opening. — Jemele Hill
The USC coach's late-80s women's basketball coach haircut and shoulder pads are a perfect personification of coaches of the time. — Bill Simmons
Monica's line outside her house that as a kid you see the life you want and never think it will not turn out that way is called pointed, a good yearbook quote. — Bill Simmons
During the love triangle, the roommates playing video games and enjoying the drama, with a shout-out to Charles O'Bannon, is classic college. — Bill Simmons
The party scene where the relationship first explodes, with alcohol and an available girl, is a familiar college breakup. — Jemele Hill
The subtle conversations about gender, including the choice between personal and professional life and the lack of visibility for women, aged incredibly well in the hosts' view. — Jemele Hill
The complication of being an ex-player, shown through Haysbert's character trying to build a life after playing, aged extraordinarily well. — Jemele Hill
Zeke's 'tell mom I have a meeting, I'll be home later' affair excuse is offered for both best and worst: the worst excuse ever, from the worst cheater ever. — Bill Simmons
Love & Basketball is favored as Omar Epps's career apex, with The Wood and ER also considered.
Higher Learning is considered a plausible Michael Rapaport apex, with a later television role also recalled but not clearly named.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer is preferred as Kristy Swanson's apex.
PCU is favored over Higher Learning as the apex for mid-1990s college-campus culture.
Higher Learning is considered Busta Rhymes's likely movie apex after Belly is correctly rejected as a film he appeared in.
John Singleton's apex is debated between Higher Learning's career leverage and Rosewood's stronger filmmaking, while Boyz n the Hood remains his best movie to one participant. — Van Lathan
Rosewood opening opposite Booty Call is cited as evidence that Singleton had less industry leverage by then. — Van Lathan
