Lenny cooke my name is lenny cooke im the former no. Lenny cooke the first featurelength documentary by the safdie brothers will. Lenny cooke documentary makes an impression on toronto. The scene is one of many poignant moments in josh and ben safdies documentary lenny cooke. A decade later, lenny has never played a minute in the nba. He and amare stoudemire both entered the 2002 nba draft straight out of high school. In the early 2000s, cooke was the top basketball prospect in the country. Chicago bulls center joakim noah is execproducing lenny cookes feature documentary about the former basketball phenom called lenny cooke. The longawaited film titled lenny cooke from directorsbrothers josh and benny safdie fills in the blanks as viewers have the chance to finally learn about the 12 years since the brooklynborn prep phenom was humbled out of the nba radar and into obscurity. Here, we trace the unfulfilled destiny of a man for whom superstardom was only just out of reach. He was ranked above future greats lebron james, amare stoudemire and carmelo anthony. Find out where lenny cooke is streaming, if lenny cooke is on netflix, and get news and updates, on decider. In this quintessentially american documentary, filmmaking brothers joshua and benny safdie track the unfulfilled destiny of a man for whom superstardom was. In 2001, lenny cooke was the most hyped high school basketball player in the country, ranked above future greats lebron james, amare stoudemire and carmelo anthony.
Arguably the most disappointing story i can relate to basketball wise, that of lenny cooke, is one marred by bad decision, misguidance, and maybe what i would call serendipity. A once topranked highschool basketball star learns a tough lesson when he decides to skip college. Lenny cooke didnt play high school basketball as a senior, but remains one of the top talents who hasnt stepped foot on a college campus. A title card at the beginning of the film indicates that cooke, despite his huge highschool hype. Very much recommend to any fans of the game, particularly the 2000s era on forward. Lenny cooke and the problem with best documentaries. It tells the life of the former high school basketball player lenny cooke. The rise and fall of lenny cooke in awardwinning safdie. Gives a compelling look at the beast that is high school basketball stardom, premature hype, and the kids who have no idea how to handle it all. Lenny cooke official trailer 1 20 documentary hd professional sports is known as a true meritocracy, a field in which the cream really does rise to. Lenny cooke was once more hyped than lebron james, but never played in the league. New york reuters lenny cooke, a new york city basketball legend who was ranked the no. It was released in the united states in limited theaters on december 6, 20.
The film was an official selection for the tribeca film festival in 20. Filmmaker adam shopkorn chronicled cookes rise in over 100 hours of footage. Heartbreaking documentary about a talented athlete who is used like a piece of meat and cast aside. Check the film s website for more details on screenings and distribution.
In 2001, lenny cooke, a brooklyn, ny native, was a man among boys. At one point he was considered one of the top recruits in the. Ten years later, lenny has never played a minute in the nba. In 2001, cooke was the numberone ranked high school basketball player in america, with future nba greats lebron james and carmelo anthony listed beneath him. The first documentary feature from american independent film scene fixtures josh. Cookes story is a sobering tale of how one mistake can ruin not just ones career, but life as well. In an era when high school stars were forgoing college hoops in favor of the potential multimillion dollar contracts promised in the nba draft, cooke was supposed to be the. Cooke was a highly regarded young basketball player in high school, in the various basketball camps, and the aau and tournaments.
The life and times of lenny cooke premierball basketball. Lenny cooke is a 20 american sports documentary film directed by josh and benny safdie. In 2001, lenny cooke was considered the best high school basketball player in the country. Lenny cooke film is cautionary tale of squandered sports. Lenny cooke is currently in limited release in cities around the united states. Cooke is the subject of the 20 tribeca film festival selected documentary film lenny cooke by the safdie brothers. Lenny cooke, a documentary from directors benny and joshua safdie and an official selection at both the 20 tribeca and venice film festivals, unearths plenty about the. In 2001, lenny cooke was the most hyped high school basketball player in the country, ranked above future greats lebron james, amare stoudemire, and carmelo anthony. The movie lenny cooke follows the number one high school basketball player who was destined to go to the nba. Yet after declaring himself eligible for the 2002 nba draft, cooke, shockingly, ended up going undrafted, and became a journeyman playing in littleknown.
The intersection of the knicks doldrums and the academys best documentary nominee shortlist crystallizes today in the release of lenny cooke, a nonfiction film about a onetime. The film had its world premiere at the 20 tribeca film festival on april 18, 20. Lenny cooke was the numberone ranked high school basketball player in america, but his inevitable fall from grace will forever be remembered. Cookes story was depicted in a documentary produced by his friend joakim noah that was shown at the tribeca film festival. The film highlights the rise and fall of the high school athlete who was once thought to be the next magic johnson, only to lose it all before any of it became a reality. Lenny cooke the movie may not provide a definitive answer, or one that is completely satisfying to those of us who rooted for him, but thats kind of the point. Lenny cooke was a sneaky film entry at this years melbourne international film festival miff. Suitably for brooklyn born lenny, the film premiered at tribeca film festival in 20, where it received widespread critical acclaim.
Trending films pain and glory dolor y gloria 2019 american factory 2019 apollo 11 2019 a star is born atlantics. Check the films website for more details on screenings and distribution. A clever ending scene in which a presentday, mature cooke addresses a 19 year old stubborn cooke, face to face, in one of those letters to my younger self moments, says it all. Lenny cooke documentary chronicles the rise and fall of a high school basketball phenom. With lenny cooke, tom konchalski, lebron james, carmelo anthony. The sad truth of lenny cooke is that cooke is more the rule than the exceptiona greater talent than most, no doubt, but susceptible to the same forces that turn extraordinary young athletes into casualties of the system. Lenny cooke filmink about filmink latest film news. In 2001, cooke was the numberone ranked high school basketball player in america, with future nba greats lebron james and.
Although, miff is holding a ten film retrospective celebrating the safdie brothers career, the boys had to push for their little known documentary to be included. Lenny cooke documentary chronicles the rise and fall of a. Lenny cooke 20 synopsis lenny cooke 20 titolo originale. I filmed lebron match up against lenny, which was the really big matchup, with lenny being the betterknown player, but lebron scored 24, lenny only scored 9, and lebron hit this crazy floating jump shot at the buzzer to win the game and the gym erupted.
Lenny cooke was the numberone ranked high school basketball player in america. In 2001, cooke was the numberone ranked high school basketball player in america, with future nba greats lebron james. Guardare lenny film completo hd in aggiunta ai una trama eccitante e una grande storia, lenny contienente caratteri uniche che il film oltre ad altri lo stesso genere. He was chosen as the subject for the 20 documentary film lenny cooke by the safdie brothers. In this quintessentially american documentary, filmmaking brothers joshua and benny safdie track the unfulfilled destiny of a man for whom superstardom was only just. All it takes is one bad decision or one bad gameor in cookes case, bothto change a players fortunes, and that. Once said to be the next great 2 guard to play the game i was the hottest thing since sliced bread. He was not drafted and ended up playing for lesser known leagues around the world. Shopkorn turned down a request to follow lebron james, though james did pass shopkorns viewfinder on more than one occasion. A 66 slasher who in high school scouts ranked ahead of the cleveland cavaliers lebron james, new york knicks carmelo. After a screening in toronto, several raptors said there was much to be learned from cookes story. Back in 2001, what many considered to be the best high school basketball player in the country. A cocky kids dream crumbles in sobering lenny cooke film.
181 574 128 1057 362 1073 476 222 213 11 11 225 176 227 367 1372 1325 282 160 154 458 1107 463 1170 821 477 382 720 118 75 1324 399 570 1468 1090 695 485 1011 606 1163 620 1113 44 1022 899 485 923 899