Like Mike (2002) is rated PG: for brief mild language.

In a present day Los Angeles orphanage full of boys and girls eagerly awaiting adoption, lives 14-year-old Calvin Cambridge (Lil' Bow Wow). Shooting hoops with friends Murph (Jonathan Lipnicki) and Reg (Brenda Song) is his fun, and playing in the NBA is his dream, but for the most part his days are filled battling Ox (Jesse Pemons), the house bully and keeping one step ahead of Stan Bittleman (Crispin Glover), the shady orphanage director.

Digging through some donated clothing, Calvin is thrilled to find a pair of mysterious sneakers that fit his feet perfectly. Even more interesting is the faded "MJ," with the accompanying story that the shoes were once owned by a now-famous basketball player. Lacing them up, Calvin is suddenly able to run and score like never before.

Even more amazing is the series of fortunate events that bring Calvin to a one-on-one with hot player Tracey Reynolds during a half-time promotional stint. Expecting the puny teen to be a pushover, the pro is dunked and skunked when Calvin drops three hoops to win a grand. Eager to have a new gimmick to keep fans coming, team manager Frank Bernard (Eugene Levy) signs Calvin onto the roster. But with his growing popularity and wealth, Ox and Bittleman decide to try a different game plan.

A crowded Dickinson-esque orphanage under selfish rule can hardly be called unique, but with the recent parade of kid's movies dwelling on bathroom humor and violent conflict, this familiar formula is refreshingly devoid of sexual innuendo and flatulence jokes. Bonus points are earned for limiting the "bad guys" plot (which consists of a few scenes of bullying and tying up Bittleman) and sexual content (mainly shots of cheerleaders).

Parents' only other concerns involves a sequence showing Calvin rescuing his beloved shoes from a power line during a lightening storm and the oft repeated (but never explained) idea that food from hotel room service is free.

Exploring issues of working together, parental relationships, and caring for friends along with the typical sports movie finale, there are some good reasons to Like Mike.

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Calvin and the coach quickly build a relationship of trust and respect. What did they each do to make this possible?

Lil Bow Wow’s first claim to fame is being the youngest rap artist to reach mainstream notoriety (hence the inclusion of rap music in the movie’s score). While we haven’t reviewed his songs, our research indicates that the language usually isn’t objectionable, but some of the themes may be cause for concern.

Like Mike has many product placements (hidden commercials for real life products). How many can you find? And if you noticed that the NBA seemed to be getting a lot of publicity too, it’s no accident… two of the movie’s executive producers are NBA executives.

The Absent-minded Professor also features a basketball team whose abilities are enhanced by their special shoes. For another tale of a kid with unbelievable athletic skill, try Rookie of the Year.