Calvin (Bow Wow) is a fourteen year old kid, 4 feet 8 inches short, who dreams of being in the starting line up of an NBA team. He gets his chance when a pair of gym shoes, that have seen their best days, are donated to the orphanage where he lives and make their way onto his feet. Inscribed with the initials MJ, he and his buddies are sure the shoes must have belonged to Michael Jordan. They bring magical powers to Calvin and change his game from so-so to the likes of Jason Kidd, Alvin Iverson, David Robinson, Chris Webber…and Mike.
While selling candy for the orphanage outside of Staple Arena in LA, Calvin meets the coach of the sad sack LA Knights who gives him tickets for seats in the nosebleed section. At the game Calvin is the winner in the lucky seat chosen to play a short, one on one game during half time with superstar player Tracey Reynolds (Morris Chestnut). Calvin burns Tracey on the court and as a promotional gimmick, the team promoter Frank Bernard (Eugene Levy), signs him to a one day contract with orphanage director Stan Bittleman (Crispin Glover). Calvin is not supposed to play but when circumstances allow him to get in the game, he sinks a last second buzzer beater and the Knights are on their way to filling the stands and winning games.
Coach Wagner (Robert Forster) assigns Tracey as mentor and roommate for Calvin and new lessons are learned by both. Tracey is into me, myself and I and is estranged from his father. Calvin and others in the orphanage only want to be adopted. They would like nothing more than to go home with parents.
"Like Mike" is a two-tier tale. One is the cute, rags-to-riches and fame story you see in the movie trailers. The other is a serious look at how children feel who live in a group home, where the odds of being adopted are low unless you are young and cute. It's as if they are little puppies. The older they get the less desirable they are yet they need and want to be loved just like an infant.
Bittleman is a selfish administrator, who looks out for number one at the expense of the kids he is supposed to care for. Mix these motives with those of a sports team looking for a way to make money, and Calvin is being manipulated from enough sides to make him spin…on and off the court.
Calvin's key `mod squad' buddies are Murph (Jonathan Lipnicki) and Reg (Brenda Song), for those of you who remember the popular TV show. When Calvin needs help to assist his NBA teammates win the game that will get them into the playoffs, Calvin looks to the mod squad and his nemesis, a bully named Ox (Jesse Plemon), to save the day. Lots of kid action, along the lines of "Spy Kids" makes "Like Mike" an entertaining movie with a message about family and responsibility.
Similar in nature to what you'll find in films like "Hey Arnold! The Movie" and "Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius," the difference here is at the end, our hero not only saves the day but the audience cheered and was so happy that there were tears of joy from some kids in the theater. If you are looking for a fun-filled, feel good movie, "Like Mike" is for you.
DVD