Rise
A determined Nigerian-Greek family fights poverty, deportation fears, and obscurity as three brothers discover a path from Athens basketball courts to the NBA.
Overview
A family's struggle for a better life leads to unexpected greatness on the basketball court.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- inspirational
- emotional
- sincere
- family movie night
- sports movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly found the sincere true-life sports drama emotionally effective, praising Akin Omotoso's direction, Arash Amel's script, and the cast's performances.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The film portrays the Antetokounmpo family's migration from Nigeria to Greece and the brothers' ascent toward NBA careers.
The family's dreams are endangered by deportation fears and Greece's difficult citizenship system.
Vera, Charles, and their five children work together selling souvenirs while supporting the brothers' basketball ambitions.
The brothers move from selling souvenirs and playing on public courts to pursuing professional basketball careers.
Films like Rise, and why
The Blind Side
inspirational biographical sports drama centered on family sacrifice, perseverance, and an athlete's rise through adversity
McFarland, USA
uplifting true-story sports drama combining immigrant family pressures, athletic ambition, and emotional perseverance
Coach Carter
biographical basketball drama emphasizing talent, family support, and the difficult path to professional success
The Pursuit of Happyness
family-centered immigrant success story with sincere performances, social barriers, and an uplifting emotional register
Movie Details
- Director
- Akin Omotoso
- Release Date
- 2022-06-23
- Runtime
- 113 min
- Rating
- 7.6 / 10 (315)
Cast
- Uche Agada
- Dayo Okeniyi
- Yetide Badaki
- Ral Agada
- Jaden Osimuwa
- Elijah Sholanke
- Taylor Nichols
- Panos Koronis
- Manish Dayal
- Christos Loulis
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Disney Plus
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Rise about?
- A determined Nigerian-Greek family fights poverty, deportation fears, and obscurity as three brothers discover a path from Athens basketball courts to the NBA.
- What is Rise like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Rise as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Rise violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Rise.
- What did critics think of Rise?
- Critics broadly found the sincere true-life sports drama emotionally effective, praising Akin Omotoso's direction, Arash Amel's script, and the cast's performances.
- Which films are like Rise?
- Films with a similar feel include The Blind Side, McFarland, USA, Coach Carter, and The Pursuit of Happyness.
- How long is Rise?
- Rise runs 113 minutes.
- Where can I watch Rise?
- In United States, Rise streams on Disney Plus.
