Dream Team 1935
The rare example of a sports drama not from North America, Dream Team 1935 is the true story of a small nation succeeding on the world stage when no one gave them a chance.
In Geneva, Switzerland in 1935 the first European Championship in basketball is about to take place. The national teams are meeting each other for the first time, and they all want the honour of being the first champion to help put the growing sport on the map. In Latvia, Coach Baumanis is convinced he can gather a team and bring them to Geneva. That’s easier said than done, as he has to overcome his government’s ignorance and bring together the best players in his country, most of whom hate each other, before molding them into a real team.
Much like basketball itself, filmmaking is a team sport, and while no one individual stands out over all, together this makes for a solid cinematic experience. Director Aigas Grauba runs through the bullet points of a sports underdog movie fairly well, and despite needing some editing in spots where it drags a little bit, it gets the job done. The ensemble cast is solid, and they all get the story from point A to point B fairly easily.
As a sports movie, Dream Team 1935 works just fine, and it makes for a nice little history lesson for any basketball fans out there, but don’t expect anything too flashy outside of the cinematic equivalent of learning the fundamentals. (Dave Voigt)
Screens
Tuesday, November 13th, The Royal, 8:30pm