My Rating: 3.68/4 (aka Probably worthwhile)

One line summary: An alcoholic Ben Affleck returns to coach his high school basketball team.

The Deets: I didn’t research it too much, but this is a very personal movie for Affleck, who has now been open about his struggles with addiction. While it doesn’t look like he was really a basketball star, Affleck does his best to emulate Norman Dale (Gene Hackman of “Hoosiers” – the greatest of great high school basketball films). But this movie has more layers than we are originally led to understand; once we learn what’s beneath the surface, we gain a deeper sense of empathy for the demons that Jack Cunningham (Affleck) is struggling to exorcise. I appreciated the rawness of this movie, and the lack of a fairy tale ending. It’s clear that Affleck went deep with this, and he’s baring it all for us to witness. That takes courage.

Perfect for: If you’re an Affleck fan (like me), and if you love a story about redemption. You don’t need to love basketball, but it would help.

Where to watch: You need to rent it on your favorite streaming service, and you should if you’re in the mood.

Food pairing: This one calls for a pizza (and a non-alcoholic beer).