Like Mike review

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Basketball legend Michael Jordan (you know, that tall bloke from Space Jam) should get onto his lawyers over Like Mike, a kids' comedy that shamelessly trades off his legacy without so much as mentioning his name. But legalities aside, this is a brashly enjoyable vehicle for pint-sized hip-hopper Lil' Bow Wow.

Calvin Cambridge is a 14-year-old orphan who realises his (hoop) dreams of NBA stardom thanks to a magical pair of sneakers inscribed with the initials `MJ'. En route to becoming a basketball sensation, he bonds with pampered player Morris Chestnut, despite being forever shadowed by his Fagin-esque guardian (Crispin Glover)...

If you remember Dumbo's magic feather you'll have no problem guessing the ending, and after his Oscar-nominated turn in Jackie Brown you have to wonder what Robert Forster is doing slumming it as Chestnut's crusty coach. But Like Mike is still serviceable, sometimes quality children's fare, even if scenes involving motorised scooters and power lines will give parents persistent nightmares.

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