'Blackjack: The Jackie Ryan Story': Slow film shows some spark as Greg Finley brings streetball legend to life
Spoilers for 'Blackjack: The Jackie Ryan Story'
'Blackjack: The Jackie Ryan story' chugs at a rather slow pace. However, based on the story of a basketball legend who almost made it to the NBA, the film does have its moments. Greg Finley plays the streetball GOAT Jackie Ryan — A man tipped for greatness in the 90s. However, it's the beer and the blazing temper that gets the better of him as he finally ends what was supposed to be a decorated NBA career with the Nets by being a part of the Harlem Wizards.
Don't get us wrong. Ryan is still a legend and the Harlem Wizards are a class act. But this was simply too much potential that went to waste and the world perhaps would have seen someone come closer to the Johnsons, the Birds, and the Jordans. The movie tries to give an inside look at Ryan's life where his alcohol-fueled rage and sheer lack of discipline was one of the primary reasons for his downfall. The movie starts with a young Ryan who gets starry-eyed whenever he gets to hold a big Spalding and shoot it in.
A few years later, he's still shooting, and this time it's in a closed arena where the open tryouts for the New Jersey Nets are on. He plays insanely well just for a prior knee injury to flare up and land a severe blow to his NBA aspirations. Perhaps, the thing Ryan loved more than anything or anyone else in life was the sport, except the lack of discipline did him in. Big time.
Finley plays the character to perfection. A burly basketball prodigy with good looks. Sportswriter Peter Vescey (Geoffrey Cantor) gets Ryan the one-in-a-million chance to make it to the Nets. Given the lead-up where Ryan proves to the world he's a tremendous screw-up, this opportunity perhaps was the only good thing he does throughout the film.
Much of his past is covered. Dad Big Jack (David Arquette) and his violent and frosty attitude to Ryan gets ample screentime and so does the main lad's relationship with his co-worker Marty (James Madio). Safe to say, Marty was another piece that Ryan could have steered well clear of. But then, it's the age, it's the attitude and that was the path Ryan chose. Jennie (Ashley Greene), his old girlfriend, serves as the perfect motivation — training, faith, love, and just everything a person needs to get going. However, even she realizes he is a lost cause after a point.
'Blackjack: The Jackie Ryan Story' might not please those who expected a deep, concrete story. But it does show the 90s and the culture where the NBA was a major part of the US and one of the times where its fame was increasing exponentially by the day. Ryan is just part of that era where it was just bad decisions that led to his downfall. You can forgive him, but you can't forget that maybe he threw it all away when he had the chance.
Barring the slow-paced approach, 'Blackjack' does enough to give the audience a look at Ryan's life. This was a story to be told. Maybe there was more that could have been done, but that's not to say the film was a total disappointment. A one-time watch should work just fine.