This year marks the 25th anniversary of Gina Prince-Bythewood’s directorial debut “Love & Basketball.” But while the classic film is beloved by some, here lately, it’s come under scrutiny by others on TikTok who are looking it through a new lens.
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In particular, the love story between Quincy and Monica is being reexamined, with some feeling like she essentially chased after him the whole time and that he playing games with her the whole tome. To be clear, the film is well-crafted movie: it’s entertaining, relatable, engaging, and stars two of the most beautiful people in Hollywood. But when you look past that and specifically take in the relationship dynamic between the two main characters–there’s a whole lot that people are taking issue with.
Love & Basketball Is A Horror Movie
For TikTok user Malik Tayylor, he argued that the movie doesn’t hold the same value as it once did now that he’s watched it as a young adult. Whereas before he thought it was a supreme love story, now he’s having second thoughts as the years have gone by.
“I re-watched it a year or two ago in my twenties. It’s like watching it with this frontal lobe developed, you just be like ‘y’all are victims!” he said.
He went on to stress how Quincy’s ego was at the center for most of their problems, referencing how much disdain and pride he showed in the ending scene where the two played against each other one-one-one to determine the fate of their relationship.
“Nasty work. It’s a horror movie, it’s not my favorite movie no more. It’s like you go your whole life loving “Love & Basketball” and then one day you watch it and you’re like ‘this is a horror movie,’” he concluded.
Women Shouldn’t Like “Love & Basketball” Because Monica Was Getting Dogged Out
For user Meccavellii, she explained that she was skeptical of women who said that “Love & Basketball” was their favorite film because they’re essentially watching another woman get dogged out by a man for “two hours over the span of two decades.” She questioned why that would be nice for any woman to watch onscreen.
“We watched him choose every single thing but motherf*cking Monica all for her to put him up at the end and make him a house husband? After he done dogged her for 20 years? Baby what you like about that? What you like about watching that?” she questioned.
“Love & Basketball” Didn’t Age Well and Shouldn’t Be in the Top 5 Best Black Movies
For user Kira Jazell, she didn’t understand how a film like this was heralded and put in such high regard after watching it back years later. She argued that the film was nowhere near a romantic film and said that returning to it as an adult made her feel like she was in the Twilight zone.
“How did we ever put that in like a top five Black movies category? I distinctly remember the first time watching this movie as an adult, I feel like I was in the Twilight zone. I don’t understand how I ever watched this movie with a different perspective before,” she said.
She later went on to question what exactly happened with Quincy’s fiance while he was out there playing with Monica and shooting hoops with her.
In the comments section on multiple videos, other users echoed similar sentiments to all the aforementioned points.
“Maturing is realizing that Quincy was toxic,” wrote one user.
“She stayed trying to prove to him all her life that she was worthy and it just upset me as I got older,” said another.
“Im happy they ended up together at the end but he should of been the one chasing her!” one other user wrote.
Added another: “The fact that she won a championship overseas, was on billboards and had kids fighting to get her autograph but still came back to be with him. No thank you.”
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