Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Mild
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- None
- comic
- sentimental
- inspirational
- sports movie night
- casual weekend viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly regarded the film as a weak, formulaic supernatural sports comedy with limited dramatic impact.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Antoine returns as a ghost to help Kenny during basketball games and guide him through life after his death.
Kenny must replace his celebrated brother Antoine as the team's leader while negotiating Antoine's continuing influence.
Kenny benefits from Antoine's ghostly assistance but becomes uncomfortable with how that help changes him.
The film combines Antoine's return as a ghost with college basketball competition and broad comedic situations.
Films like The 6th Man, and why
Like Mike
shared basketball setting, sports competition, sibling bonds, and comic supernatural elements
Angels in the Outfield
shared sports drama structure, family relationships, grief, and inspirational supernatural intervention
Ghost Town
shared ghost-centered comedy, emotional loss, and a living character changed by supernatural companionship
Blue Chips
shared college sports setting, underdog momentum, team camaraderie, and feel-good comedy
Movie Details
- Director
- Randall Miller
- Release Date
- 1997-03-28
- Runtime
- 108 min
- Rating
- 6.1 / 10 (179)
Cast
- Marlon Wayans
- Kadeem Hardison
- David Paymer
- Michael Michele
- Octavia Spencer
- Saundra McClain
- Harold Sylvester
- Kevin Dunn
- Chris Spencer
- Paul Ben-Victor
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Starz Apple TV channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The 6th Man about?
- A college basketball player struggles to lead his team and reclaim his identity when his dead star-player brother returns as a ghostly teammate.
- What is The 6th Man like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The 6th Man as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as simple.
- Is The 6th Man violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in The 6th Man.
- What did critics think of The 6th Man?
- Critics broadly regarded the film as a weak, formulaic supernatural sports comedy with limited dramatic impact.
- Which films are like The 6th Man?
- Films with a similar feel include Like Mike, Angels in the Outfield, Ghost Town, and Blue Chips.
- How long is The 6th Man?
- The 6th Man runs 108 minutes.
- Where can I watch The 6th Man?
- In United States, The 6th Man streams on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Starz Apple TV channel.
