Jim Caviezel to Appear in New Angel Studios Movie
By Movieguide® Contributor
Angel Studios’ latest movie SWEETWATER is led by a star-studded cast, including Teddy Award®-winner Jim Caviezel.
“Sweetwater was born to change the game,” a description of the movie reads. “Revered as the father of basketball as it’s now known and loved by millions, Harlem Globetrotters phenom Nat ‘Sweetwater’ Clifton overcame a lifetime of barriers and a barrage of discrimination to become the first African American to join the NBA.”
SWEETWATER stars Caviezel, who previously worked with Angel Studios on the record-breaking, Teddy Bear Award® winner SOUND OF FREEDOM, Richard Dreyfuss, Cary Elwes, Jeremy Piven, Everett Osborne and Kevin Pollak.
“When SWEETWATER was presented to the Angel Guild, the Guild’s reaction was nothing short of extraordinary,” Jordan Harmon, the President of Angel Studios, said in a press release. “As someone who plays the game himself three times a week, this powerful narrative of a remarkable athlete who revolutionized basketball resonates deeply with me.”
Producer Darren Moorman added, “We are honored by the response that the film has received by the Angel Guild audience. I love Sweetwater’s story for so many reasons. As a filmmaker it’s always great to tell a story that is unknown, but has had such an amazing impact on the world.”
“I always knew this story would be told,” Martin Guigui, who served as director, writer and composer on the movie, told NBA.com. “I wasn’t sure I would be chosen, but I felt it was my calling. I had to somehow tell this story to the world.”
SWEETWATER will be available to stream on the Angel app and at Angel.com on Sept. 26.
The Movieguide® review of SWEETWATER reads:
SWEETWATER is the little-known story of basketball player Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton who became the first black player in the NBA. The movie starts with Jim Caviezel in a cameo as a sportswriter who gets in a cab and recognizes the older Sweetwater as his driver. He asks incredulously why Nat is driving a cab. Jump back to 1949, where Nat’s playing for the Harlem Globetrotters in an exhibition game with NBA world champion Minneapolis Lakers. The rest of the movie shows how Nat broke the racial barrier to become the first black player with the New York Knicks.
SWEETWATER has some good moments, but it needs more energy, drama and pizzazz. The NBA scenes are hampered by the fact that some of the white players have a gut. The Globetrotter games have some impressive ballplaying shenanigans, but the numerous scenes become wearing and repetitive. Everett Osborne as Sweetwater does a fine job with what he’s given. However, the movie leaves him pretty much a cipher. SWEETWATER is fairly clean but has about 15 mostly light obscenities. MOVIEGUIDE® advises caution for older children.
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