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Movie · Documentary, Sports · 1994 · PG-13

Hoop Dreams: parents' guide

13+our pick

Best for ages 13 and up. Rated PG-13 for language, some drug content, and some sexual references.

A landmark, nearly three-hour documentary that rewards teens willing to settle in, especially sports fans. It follows two Chicago teenagers chasing basketball careers over five years of high school. Real life intrudes hard: one boy's father leaves the family and becomes addicted to crack cocaine, the other boy becomes a father as a teen, families struggle with poverty and lost jobs, and serious knee injuries threaten careers. There is coaches' swearing and locker-room language and some sexual references, but no sexual content on screen and no graphic violence. The drug storyline and language are why we suggest 13.

What's in it

Violence

Mild

No staged violence. Someone describes being mugged, the danger of the neighborhoods is ever present, past abuse of a wife is mentioned but not shown, and knee surgery is shown. Normal on-court scuffles.

Language

Moderate

Coaches and players use locker-room profanity, including bullshit and other strong language, and one song on the soundtrack has particularly harsh lyrics. Not constant.

Sex and nudity

Mild

No sex or nudity. One teen fathers a child before finishing high school, and there are some sexual references and talk of teen sexuality in terms of its consequences.

Drinking, drugs and smoking

Strong

Arthur's father becomes addicted to crack cocaine, leaves the family, and later gets clean. Drug dealing in the neighborhood is shown, and family and friends discuss drug use and its toll.

Scary or intense scenes

Mild

Not scary, but emotionally heavy: a family loses income and has its power cut off, parents separate, a friend moves in to escape an abusive home, and injuries put dreams at risk.

Sensitive topics

  • Addiction

Worth talking about

Recruiters and schools invest in these boys because of what they might be worth. Who benefits from young athletes' talent, and what happens to the players who don't make it?

Where to stream →

On our lists

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Checked October 13th, 2026 against Common Sense Media, Wikipedia, the-numbers.com, movieguide.org. The age is our judgment, not an official rating, and every family draws its lines differently: read the notes, not just the number. Spotted something we missed? Tell us. How we rate.