James D. Stern and Adam Del Deo's taut, engrossing 2004 documentary on Chinese basketball player Yao Ming's first year in the NBA offers insight into the game and its stars.
Comment
03/25/08
The Year of the Yao (2005)
66
%
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work 
Reviews Counted:32
Fresh:21
Rotten:11
Average Rating:6.2/10
Consensus: This sports bio documentary is given a few fresh angles, including culture clash issues, and the friendship that develops between Yao and his interpreter.
Runtime: 88 mins
Genre: Education/General Interest
US Box Office: $0
Synopsis: This documentary tells a unique story of Eastern and Western cultures merging within the world of professional basketball. Yao Ming, the seven-feet-six-inches-tall athlete who is a star in his... [More]
Reviews for The Year of the Yao
By playing up the hoopla and glitz, the filmmakers have created a vacuum at its center.
03/01/07
The film is happily as fast paced as the sport of basketball itself: there are no bearded, stuttering academics discussing any aspect of the story.
01/19/07
there's plenty to see in this engaging film
03/18/06
...a particularly crude sales job.
08/10/05
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08/07/05
Should be a natural for NBA fans and please non-enthusiasts as well.
08/05/05
Click to read the article
08/05/05
As bright and shiny as you would imagine something co-produced by NBA Entertainment to be, The Year of the Yao provides little insight beyond hanging out with its super-sized star.
08/04/05
Top Critic[A] glorified infomercial.
08/04/05
There appears to be much more to Yao than is captured here. That's where the movie drops the ball.
07/22/05
A surprisingly layered portrait of a rookie with the hopes of a nation -- a big nation -- riding on his shoulders, and the frustrations and small victories that entails.
07/15/05
Sporadically charming basketball documentary.
07/07/05
Easily the best basketball film I've seen in years.
05/16/05
The movie's focus on Yao is limited by his lack of narrative abilities.
05/09/05
Sure, it's fun to watch big-screen close-ups of Yao battling with O'Neal, though it feels like another ESPN special.
05/06/05
From language barriers to international political barriers, Yao promises something most documentaries miss entirely -- insight and hope.
05/06/05
There's not much else of interest going on.
05/06/05
...while their subject is amiably charismatic, the filmmakers fail to fully get beneath his skin. Still...it's a sports documentary that can be enjoyed by anyone...
04/29/05
The excitement on the court and the banter and good-natured ribbing in the locker room is handled by the book by the behind the camera crew.
04/28/05
Latest News for The Year of the Yao
September 19, 2006:
Yao Ming Turns Down "Rush Hour 3"
Brett Ratner can cross out yet another celebrity from his dream cast for "Rush Hour 3." In an interview with a sports writer from a Chinese newspaper, it's revealed... More...
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