All respect to Vince, without him probably wouldnt be Canadian basketball in this level.
Altough the leaving process was in 2 mins what was just like spinned off, while we heard Drake talking left to right.
Compare to 30 30 documentaries bit weaker but still solid.
Not a Drake music fan as well but he is doing good for basketball.
10 Reviews
Interesting Sports Documentary
KellenKing17 May 2018
I grew up watching Vince Carter play for the Raptors and didn't realize quite how big of an impact he had on the city of Toronto. The documentary did a good job covering a lot of areas of how Carter influenced the NBA, pop culture, and Canada. And of course watching him dunk never gets old!
Putting basketball on the map in Canada
maccas-5636720 January 2019
On a snowy Toronto day in 2014, this Australian sat watching a Raptors game on TV. An opposition player was crying because he was receiving a standing ovation. He was Vince Carter. But who was this guy?
I'd only jumped on the Raptors bandwagon in 2013, instantly falling in love with them after my move from Australia to Toronto. I loved the atmosphere of the games, yet knew virtually nothing of their history.
My then Canadian girlfriend explained that Vince Carter basically put the Raptors (and Toronto) on the map way back when he played for them during 1998-2004. This little documentary explains just how monumental "The Carter Effect" was during this time, and how it still lingers on today, in 2018.
Hell, just watching this also explained the mystery of why said Canadian ex-girlfriend insisted on only wearing Nike shoes with shocks! Amazing how one man can change the culture and atmosphere of an entire city with just a few slam-dunks.
Highly recommend if you love basketball, you're Canadian or a Raptors fan depressed at the recent play-offs performance. Enjoyable little doco
I'd only jumped on the Raptors bandwagon in 2013, instantly falling in love with them after my move from Australia to Toronto. I loved the atmosphere of the games, yet knew virtually nothing of their history.
My then Canadian girlfriend explained that Vince Carter basically put the Raptors (and Toronto) on the map way back when he played for them during 1998-2004. This little documentary explains just how monumental "The Carter Effect" was during this time, and how it still lingers on today, in 2018.
Hell, just watching this also explained the mystery of why said Canadian ex-girlfriend insisted on only wearing Nike shoes with shocks! Amazing how one man can change the culture and atmosphere of an entire city with just a few slam-dunks.
Highly recommend if you love basketball, you're Canadian or a Raptors fan depressed at the recent play-offs performance. Enjoyable little doco
Going up
kosmasp9 September 2018
If you follow he NBA or have been following it, than you won't ask which Carter are they talking about. Maybe they will in the future, but right now we know this is about Vince Carter. And he made quite the impact. There is archive footage and new footage/interviews, that depict the impact he had, not just with and for the Raptors but with the NBA.
As far as recent displays of affection by LeBron James, though that was more directed at the really incredible crowd that cheered the Toronto Raptors even after they got eliminated by the Cavaliers. With an hour running time, this is short enough but also long enough to give an inside look that should be satisfying. Again, at least an interest into Basketball should be there, otherwise I don't think makes much sense watching this
As far as recent displays of affection by LeBron James, though that was more directed at the really incredible crowd that cheered the Toronto Raptors even after they got eliminated by the Cavaliers. With an hour running time, this is short enough but also long enough to give an inside look that should be satisfying. Again, at least an interest into Basketball should be there, otherwise I don't think makes much sense watching this
Drake Reduces Aithenticity/Believability
danalexbetts25 April 2020
This documentary was a pretty good viewing. I won't give you the 3+ paragraph Review aimed at getting itself posted, but I'll give you my authentic viewer feedback.
I'm (originally) a Torontonian, born and raised. (40+ years before moving to South America completamente) I'm saddened I was so out-of by the city I didn't pay more attention at the time to Carter and his Raptors, because I lost-out. This doc opened my eyes to that fact. IMHO, it was largely about how Vince Carter brought attention to the fact Totonto/Canada could have a serious basketball team. (Cliff's Notes: Basketball was invented *in Canada! No sh**!)
What makes this doc a little weaker is that it leans on "Drake" to add authenticity to the bball community. Drake, the Jewish-Afro canadian who sings about "growing up on the rough tough streets of Toronto" and professes the typically rap-crap intended to show toughness, whilst he actually was born with a silver spoon in his mouth to a Jewish father and Afro-Canadian mother both of respectable vocational accomplishment and moderate wealth...in a city undeniably separate of and apart from Toronto. And the Greater Toronto Area as a whole. He's a fraud, and anything his name is attached to is of questionable believability. The Mr. Forest Hill, his rough days were having to wait over 5 minutes for mommy or daddy to pick him up and drive him home from school. Lmao!
The doc is enjoyable and informational. Ignore Droop. Err, Drake.
I'm (originally) a Torontonian, born and raised. (40+ years before moving to South America completamente) I'm saddened I was so out-of by the city I didn't pay more attention at the time to Carter and his Raptors, because I lost-out. This doc opened my eyes to that fact. IMHO, it was largely about how Vince Carter brought attention to the fact Totonto/Canada could have a serious basketball team. (Cliff's Notes: Basketball was invented *in Canada! No sh**!)
What makes this doc a little weaker is that it leans on "Drake" to add authenticity to the bball community. Drake, the Jewish-Afro canadian who sings about "growing up on the rough tough streets of Toronto" and professes the typically rap-crap intended to show toughness, whilst he actually was born with a silver spoon in his mouth to a Jewish father and Afro-Canadian mother both of respectable vocational accomplishment and moderate wealth...in a city undeniably separate of and apart from Toronto. And the Greater Toronto Area as a whole. He's a fraud, and anything his name is attached to is of questionable believability. The Mr. Forest Hill, his rough days were having to wait over 5 minutes for mommy or daddy to pick him up and drive him home from school. Lmao!
The doc is enjoyable and informational. Ignore Droop. Err, Drake.
Vinsane
thomasjay-220116 August 2018
A decent basketball documentary, miles off the work of 30 for 30 or ESPN but still pretty solid. An exploration of the development of Canadian society and culture during Vince Carter's time at the Raptors. A multi faceted look at the players impact and growth of an identity around a city, a good watch
An Inspiring Well Put Together Documentary
pbh19983 May 2018
The Carter Effect highlights both the incredible on the court persona of Vince "Half man half amazing" Carter and the off the court man who popularized Basketball in Toronto. This documentary transcends basketball, as Drake so poignantly says "We are breaking the mold." As a fan of sports, I advise you to watch this documentary. Now available on Netflix.
Relive Vinsanity
solojere14 May 2018
Amazing
skylar_marshall-7172010 September 2018
Review for The Carter Effect
huckabayka14 March 2019
I cannot count on my hand how many times I have watched a sports documentary since the age of nine. I would be watching the 30 for 30s on ESPN and I would come across the fantastic ones: I Hate Christian Laettner directed by Rory Karpf, Celtics/Lakers: Best of Enemies directed by James Podhoretz, or Believeland directed by Andrew Billman. A lot of times these documentaries have the same cinematography, a former professional athlete, coach, or media figure in their house or place of work followed by a photo or video of the action the speaker is discussing. When I heard of The Carter Effect directed by Sean Menard I expected to be just like any other documentary.
But I was wrong. I have never seen anything like it. Sean Menard zooms you into Toronto, Canada at the beginning of Toronto Basketball: 1995. The team is terrible in the first two years as a franchise but with its luck in the draft, snags the ninth overall pick in 1997 and the fifth pick in the 1998 draft. McGrady picked in '97 and Carter in '98. Spoiler alert: Carter is really freaking good. Menard exceptionally details the story of Carter with some of the best and most creative cinematography and the characters are built up better than anything I have ever seen. I have seen sports documentaries. But nothing can compare or is better than The Carter Effect directed by Sean Menard.
The story of The Carter Effect begins at the very beginning of the Toronto Raptors, conveniently named after the Jurassic Park release, as they are announced as the newest addition to the National Basketball Association (NBA). In their first two years the team ended up with a 21-61 record in their inaugural year. The next year, the produce a 30-52 record in the 1996-97 season landing them with the ninth pick with whom they select Tracy McGrady, a shooting guard from Mount Zion Christian Academy a private Christian day school in Durham, North Carolina. The following season, the Raptors tremendously struggle posting a measly sixteen win season earning them the fourth pick which they use to select Antawn Jamison later trading him for Vince Carter, a small forward from the University of Northern Carolina. The rest is history and this documentary perfectly portrays the story from start to finish.
The work of Tomasz Kurek, lead cinematographer, and Sean Menard, director, is dazzling. For instance, during the "Draft Night of 1998" scene, the scene is illustrated in a smaller television-like format. This effect portrays for the audience a real-life atmosphere as if they were watching on TV, live. However, this effect sometimes falls off as not every flashback scene is portrayed this way which would have been appreciated. For example, during Carter's high school highlights, we are shown this in the traditional blown out landscape format unlike some of the other shots in this film. The player interviews I spectacularly but surprisingly enjoyed. What I mean by this, is that Menard and Kurek don't use just a cookie-cutter format for the interviews. The cinematography is clear and head-on with the interviewee. The backgrounds are uniquely chosen by Kurek to not just simply give you the generic navy blue/black curtain behind a stool or chair the interviewee is sitting on. For example, Canadian rapper and influencer Drake is seen in front of skeletons of several dinosaurs for his interview presumably in his home. Businessman are seen presumably in their offices in front of glass window during the interview and the head-on effect makes the audience feel as if they are talking to this figure.
The building of characters and how certain people in this story is tremendously shown like any other documentary. Athletes, businessman, and other influential members of the Canadian culture and some of the American culture are shown of their real true selves. Whether it be, how Drake's personality was influenced by Carter on the court and somewhat off, or how Canadian basketball player Sam Dekker directly influenced some of his game by what he saw on TV of Vince Carter. Without these character build ups, this movie would seem sloppy and unorganized.
Besides the many goods in this movie, there are also some bad things that can be discovered in almost everything. For example, this movie somewhat deceives its viewer when the title is "The Carter Effect" while it should be instead called something along the lines of: "Toronto Basketball". While, Menard clearly shows the impact of Vince Carter on basketball, he also unclearly shows the story of the beginning of Toronto basketball and now with no clear reference to the difference Carter made. Yes, they won a lot more games but they have also won games with the likings of current big three Kyle Lowry, Kawhi Leonard, and Marc Gasol.
All in all, this is a very great movie by Menard. The cinematography and character building really helps shape the whole story together in a great way.
The Carter Effect is available on Netflix and was released at the Toronto International Film Festival, Cleveland International Film Festival, and the RiverRun International Festival.
But I was wrong. I have never seen anything like it. Sean Menard zooms you into Toronto, Canada at the beginning of Toronto Basketball: 1995. The team is terrible in the first two years as a franchise but with its luck in the draft, snags the ninth overall pick in 1997 and the fifth pick in the 1998 draft. McGrady picked in '97 and Carter in '98. Spoiler alert: Carter is really freaking good. Menard exceptionally details the story of Carter with some of the best and most creative cinematography and the characters are built up better than anything I have ever seen. I have seen sports documentaries. But nothing can compare or is better than The Carter Effect directed by Sean Menard.
The story of The Carter Effect begins at the very beginning of the Toronto Raptors, conveniently named after the Jurassic Park release, as they are announced as the newest addition to the National Basketball Association (NBA). In their first two years the team ended up with a 21-61 record in their inaugural year. The next year, the produce a 30-52 record in the 1996-97 season landing them with the ninth pick with whom they select Tracy McGrady, a shooting guard from Mount Zion Christian Academy a private Christian day school in Durham, North Carolina. The following season, the Raptors tremendously struggle posting a measly sixteen win season earning them the fourth pick which they use to select Antawn Jamison later trading him for Vince Carter, a small forward from the University of Northern Carolina. The rest is history and this documentary perfectly portrays the story from start to finish.
The work of Tomasz Kurek, lead cinematographer, and Sean Menard, director, is dazzling. For instance, during the "Draft Night of 1998" scene, the scene is illustrated in a smaller television-like format. This effect portrays for the audience a real-life atmosphere as if they were watching on TV, live. However, this effect sometimes falls off as not every flashback scene is portrayed this way which would have been appreciated. For example, during Carter's high school highlights, we are shown this in the traditional blown out landscape format unlike some of the other shots in this film. The player interviews I spectacularly but surprisingly enjoyed. What I mean by this, is that Menard and Kurek don't use just a cookie-cutter format for the interviews. The cinematography is clear and head-on with the interviewee. The backgrounds are uniquely chosen by Kurek to not just simply give you the generic navy blue/black curtain behind a stool or chair the interviewee is sitting on. For example, Canadian rapper and influencer Drake is seen in front of skeletons of several dinosaurs for his interview presumably in his home. Businessman are seen presumably in their offices in front of glass window during the interview and the head-on effect makes the audience feel as if they are talking to this figure.
The building of characters and how certain people in this story is tremendously shown like any other documentary. Athletes, businessman, and other influential members of the Canadian culture and some of the American culture are shown of their real true selves. Whether it be, how Drake's personality was influenced by Carter on the court and somewhat off, or how Canadian basketball player Sam Dekker directly influenced some of his game by what he saw on TV of Vince Carter. Without these character build ups, this movie would seem sloppy and unorganized.
Besides the many goods in this movie, there are also some bad things that can be discovered in almost everything. For example, this movie somewhat deceives its viewer when the title is "The Carter Effect" while it should be instead called something along the lines of: "Toronto Basketball". While, Menard clearly shows the impact of Vince Carter on basketball, he also unclearly shows the story of the beginning of Toronto basketball and now with no clear reference to the difference Carter made. Yes, they won a lot more games but they have also won games with the likings of current big three Kyle Lowry, Kawhi Leonard, and Marc Gasol.
All in all, this is a very great movie by Menard. The cinematography and character building really helps shape the whole story together in a great way.
The Carter Effect is available on Netflix and was released at the Toronto International Film Festival, Cleveland International Film Festival, and the RiverRun International Festival.
See also
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