Amateur (2018)

Amateur Poster

14-year-old basketball phenom Terron Forte has to navigate the under-the-table world of amateur athletics when he is recruited to an elite NCAA prep school.

Introduction
"Amateur" is a 2018 Netflix Original film that explores styles of exploitation, control, and corruption within the world of youth basketball in America. The film, written and directed by Ryan Koo, offers a stark commentary on the high-pressure environment surrounding young athletes. Its story centers on a 14-year-old basketball phenomenon, Terron Forte, providing viewers a peek into the underbelly of youth sports leagues and the exploitation of young talent.

Plot Summary
Terron is a young basketball enthusiast, living in a financially disadvantaged location where scoring a basketball scholarship is one of the few tickets to a much better life. His abilities on the court are without delay found by Coach Gaines, a stern and enthusiastic coach from an elite prep school, Liberty Prep. He offers Terron a full athletic scholarship. Nevertheless, the glitz and glamour rapidly fade as Terron fights with the corrupt, win-at-all-costs culture, elite competitors, and a dishonest school system that sees students more as commodities than as people.

Pressure and Exploitation
Following the relocation, Terron encounters hard-to-resist temptations and ethical issues. He's forced to face a coach who is more invested in winning video games than in the player's welfare and a system that disregards his dyslexia. Furthermore, unlawful activities such as getting money from representatives and acquiring the services of ghost tutors are prevalent. This pressure begins to impact Terron's psychological health and his relationship with his moms and dads, who are at first impressed by the promise of an intense future for their son, but eventually become concerned about the effects.

Conflict and Resolution
The movie's significant turning point comes when Terron discovers that his school has actually been falsifying his grades to keep him eligible for competitions. With this awareness, combined with his increasing disorientation and the high-pressure environment, he reaches a snapping point and decides to eliminate back. He tape-records a video of the team accepting money from outdoors representatives, a severe violation of rules, and shares it online, stimulating an examination and exposing the corruption at Liberty Prep. Although this action results in the termination of his coach and the team's disqualification, it uses Terron a possibility to break free from the exploitative world and presents a moment of personal victory.

Conclusion and Implication
"Amateur" provides a deeply alarming picture of a system that uses young talents as fodder for achieving wins and earning a profit while neglecting their well-being and academic development. The film powerfully integrates Terron's personal journey and struggle with a wider review of youth sports exploitation, suggesting that the system's control and corruption run so deep that just a total overhaul can guarantee the victims' justice. In spite of its bleak representation, the movie also provides a twinkle of hope by commemorating Terron's courage and integrity, suggesting that change can begin with individuals ready to stand against conventional practices. Once he exposes the ills of the system, Terron makes a vibrant statement about withstanding exploitation and adjustment, encouraging others to do the same.

Top Cast

  • Michael Rainey Jr. (small)
    Michael Rainey Jr.
    Terron Forte
  • Josh Charles (small)
    Josh Charles
    Coach Gaines
  • Sharon Leal (small)
    Sharon Leal
    Nia
  • Brian J. White (small)
    Brian J. White
    Vince
  • Corey Parker Robinson (small)
    Corey Parker Robinson
    Coach Curtis
  • Ashlee Brian (small)
    Ashlee Brian
    Anton
  • Tekola Cornetet
    Stavian
  • Ted Maritz (small)
    Ted Maritz
    JP
  • Collin Blackford (small)
    Collin Blackford
    Student
  • Christopher Warner (small)
    Christopher Warner
    Coach Rob
  • Freddie Basnight (small)
    Freddie Basnight
    Referee (uncredited)