Movie review: Getting caught up in 'Linsanity'

In February 2012, the New York Knicks lost 11 of their last 13 games and stood at a paltry 8-15 in the win-loss standings. The injury-riddled Knicks fielded Jeremy Lin, an unheralded, undrafted point guard out of Harvard, just to keep enough bodies on the floor. But by the time the final buzzer rang, Lin powered New York to a 99-92 win over the New Jersey Nets. Thus "Linsanity” was born, catapulting one of basketball’s most unlikely saviors into the global spotlight.

Evan Jackson Leong’s documentary "Linsanity" frames Lin’s overnight celebrity status within his struggles as an Asian overlooked in American basketball. Leong’s camera tries to uncover how a small-town hero from Palo Alto, California fell through the cracks due to his race, then shattered all expectations to become a global phenomenon.

Filming began as early as 2009, when Leong took interest in a fellow Chinese-American touted as a potential NBA draft pick. Yet had the dice rolled any other way, "Linsanity" might not have happened and Leong might have had a very different film on his hands—one that might dwell on one, what Lin could’ve been, and two, on the racial blinders that exist even in the most equal of societies. Thus the film is a celebration of its own luck as well as an intimate look into Lin’s life before he became an icon.

The film inevitably sheds light on racism in America, both overt and implied, from fans to the media. Linsanity does a good job of explaining Lin’s celebrity in spite of (and not due to) his Asian roots. From Ivy League hecklers to prejudiced scouts, "Linsanity" documents how one player defied the invisible barriers against Asians in a sport dominated by African-Americans.

Anyone expecting a heady sociological take on ethnic relations might be disappointed, but the narration of Lin’s two-week explosion set against the dominant media buzz taps America lightly on the cheek, reminding that nation that greatness can come from persons they least expect.

Lin was already cut twice by the Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets, but was blessed by a string of circumstances that led to his improbable ascent: if he wasn’t waived in time by the Rockets, the Knicks wouldn’t have claimed his contract. If the Knicks weren’t beset by injuries and faced with a gauntlet of three games in three nights, he probably wouldn’t have gotten playing time. If he hadn’t been given real minutes showing what he was capable of, the Knicks might have cut him without question from their roster to make room for someone else. But faced with the end of his 10-day contract and no other NBA prospects in sight, Lin abandoned his doubts and fears on that fateful February night, and the rest is history. After his one-season run with the Knicks, the Rockets signed him to a three-year, $25 million deal.

As an outspoken evangelical Christian, Lin attributes his breakthrough to God. Jesus Christ is almost a co-star in the movie, as the film includes references to faith and redemption beginning the 'T' in the "Linsanity" title card resembling a cross, to Lin shooting at a basketball hoop situated amidst clouds bursting with light from above.

It’s a risky storytelling move, in the sense that some viewers might see Lin’s triumph reduced to a metaphor of a Christian message. Worth noting, too, is the fact Leong also directed "1040: Christianity in the New Asia" (2010) and seems to have a penchant for Asian culture and Christianity. Lin represents the perfect intersection of the two. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but unless you’re willing to adopt Lin’s outlook of finding God through basketball, the tension between presenting a universal underdog story while giving prominence to Lin’s religious roots is palpable.

Regardless, some of the film’s use of religious images feel like filler material could have been better integrated. In one specific example, Lin’s allusion to being able to “walk on water,” followed by a clip of himself driving to a mystical hoop jutting out from a liquid surface, suffered from the lack of a proper build-up for that specific metaphor.

But any lingering uncertainties about the film’s direction are absolved by Lin’s unflappable spirit, something that viewers from across all aisles can appreciate. The last thing "Linsanity" should be taken for is a highlight reel of Lin’s moments on the basketball court. It is Lin’s personality that binds this film together, and he shines through as a sincere, self-deprecating, slightly dorky guy. Just like the rest of us he gets insecure, he hates doing laundry, and cuts loose by doing a few rounds of karaoke.

Leong invites us to celebrate the story of an ordinary man who made his wildest dreams come true, and the joy he makes you feel for Lin is simply infectious.

Rating: 4/5 — VC, GMA News