Rez Ball opens with a first act so powerful I guess the only way to go was down. And while it’s a perfectly good sportsball movie, it never rises above that into a great one. But it’s good… a perfectly good sports film.

It’s a basketball movie set on among high school team on a Navajo reservation. After a tragedy, they have to rebuild their confidence and learn to work together again… ideally borrowing from their Native American heritage. And the love of the game.

I was all set to give this a very high rating until it just turns into an underdog sports movie. And, like I said, it’s actually a pretty good one of those so no arguments from me. It’s just that we’ve seen it before and it’s perfectly serviceable going through the usual motions. Will they win the big game? Probably.

But it’s also a pretty good film about Native Americans living on the reservation in New Mexico. It doesn’t lean too heavily on messages… just acknowledges that these kids have their own problems living poor on the rez. As such, it has some unique angles that I like to see in film.

Above all, it’s a good, inspiration Netflix basketball movie that teaches some life lessons. I like the cast, I like the head coach (former WNBA player), and I like the half-told story of a dad who has lost his family. It’s got enough going for it that I kind of wish it wasn’t just a basketball movie.

Score: 84