`HE GOT GAME' SCORES SOLIDLY.

Byline: Glenn Whipp Daily News Film Critic

Spike Lee combines Jesus and basketball in his new movie, ``He Got Game,'' which, given Lee's well-known passion for the sport, isn't much of a stretch at all.

Lee's Jesus isn't the biblical Lord and Savior, but he is worshiped all the same. He's Jesus Shuttlesworth (Ray Allen), the No. 1 high school basketball prospect in the nation, an 18-year-old kid who can shoot, pass and rebound and probably could go straight to the professional level and enjoy immediate success. In fact, Jesus is thinking about doing just that.

When the movie opens, Jesus, who lives in the Coney Island projects, has one week to decide what college he will attend or if he will go to school at all. Every university with a top-flight basketball program is offering him a full ride, and if that's not enough, Jesus could hook up with an agent, turn pro and reap huge, immediate financial rewards.

Everyone Jesus knows - his girlfriend, his uncle, his coach and assorted gravy-trainers - has their own ideas about what he should do. That group also includes his estranged father, Jake (Denzel Washington), who has been released from prison for a week by the warden so he can convince Jesus to sign with Big State, which happens to be the governor's favorite school. If Jesus goes to Big State, Jake gets out of jail early. Problem is, Jake's in prison for accidentally killing Jesus' mother, so the son isn't too inclined to listen to any fatherly advice.

It's a great premise for a movie, and Lee frequently makes good on its potential, even if he sometimes tries to do too much with the film. ``He Got Game'' mostly focuses on the father-son dynamic, but it also encompasses the exploitation of student athletes and our nation's obsession with sports and celebrity. Sometimes these themes mesh, while at other times the film's story suffers from Lee's penchant to meander and a heavy-handedness, both hallmarks of the director's previous work.

When it comes to examining the pressures facing student athletes and the shaky ethics of collegiate recruiters and oily sports agents, Lee nails his shots with a heady mixture of satire and thinly veiled contempt. Among the highlights is Jesus' trip to a wealthy campus where recruiters ply him with flattery and chesty bimbos. A groveling basketball coach (John Turturro in a wonderful cameo) gets down on his knees and implores Jesus to redeem his program.

Lee, who wrote the movie as well, also scores points in the way he creates believable tension and wary tenderness between Jesus and Jake. The son wouldn't be the player he is without the father's pushing and prodding, but the success came at the expense of their relationship. Now, Jake wants forgiveness. Lee edgily explores the possibilities of reconciliation.

But ``He Got Game'' has its share of problems, too. There are too many subplots and cameos by famous basketball players and coaches. It's as if Lee tried to cram every idea he's ever had about basketball into one movie, and it frequently distracts from the film's main themes.

Some chances pay off. Mixing Aaron Copland's thundering, operatic music with Public Enemy's street raps underscores the film's mythic elements. But having Washington befriend a prostitute (Milla Jovovich) and put her on the road to righteousness is pure cornball, and only serves to highlight the fact that, once again, Lee has delegated women to serving primarily as whores and sluts.

Washington is outstanding as always, giving a moving portrait of a flawed man trying to overcome his past. Newcomer Allen, a rising star with the Milwaukee Bucks, shows a surprising emotional range to go along with his obvious athletic talents. Most importantly, they are thoroughly believable as a father and son. And it's when Lee focuses on this dynamic that ``He Got Game'' comes closest to capturing not only the thrill of the game, but also the complexities that feed it and keep it alive on playgrounds across America.

THE FACTS

The film: ``He Got Game'' (R; language, strong sexuality, some drug content and violence).

The stars: Denzel Washington, Ray Allen, Milla Jovovich, Zelda Harris.

Behind the scenes: Written and directed by Spike Lee. Released by Touchstone Pictures.

Running time: Two hours, 14 minutes.

Playing: Citywide.

Our rating: Three Stars.

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Photo

Photo: Convict Jake (Denzel Washington, left) unexpectedly re-enters the lives of his children (Ray Allen and Zelda Harris) in ``He Got Game.''