The Sixth Man

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The Sixth Man ★½ 1997 (PG-13)

College basketball star Antoine Tyler (Hardison) dies but returns as a ghost to help his brother (Wayans) lead their team to the NCAA finals. Basketball seems to be the sport of choice for Hollywood lately, so you'd think they'd be able to get one of these movies right. Once again, they blow the layup. The first half features the requisite flashback and tearjerker death scene, both of which are surprisingly effective. But then the focus turns to “hilarious” on-court hijinks and the all-time sports cliche champion: the second-half rally from an impossible deficit. Hardison and Wayans are the bright spots, displaying fine comic and dramatic chemistry. 107m/C VHS, DVD . Kadeem Hardison, Marlon Wayans, David Paymer, Michael Michele, Kevin Dunn, Gary Jones, Vladimir Cuk, Chris Spencer, Kirk Baily, Saundra McClain, Lorenzo Orr, Travis Ford, Harold Sylvester; D: Randall Miller; W: Christopher Reed, Cynthia Carle; C: Michael Ozier; M: Marcus Miller.