From the director of "Hoop Dreams" comes "Stevie." This time life is the sport, and the odds of victory seem stacked against Stevie.

Compelling, while at the same time off-putting, the documentary presents what seems to be a sincere and boldly honest glimpse into the life one Stevie Dale Fielding. Some ten years prior, the filmmaker (Steve James) offered himself as a big brother to the then troubled youth Stevie. This film is James' return to the rural American town and his "younger brother" all grown up and into even bigger trouble.

You'll be amazed how the relatives involved all seem to speak candidly about incredibly difficult, embarrassing, and potentially damaging subject matter -- specifically, but not limited to, child abuse. Struggling with his guilt for discontinuing as a big brother all those years ago, and contemplating just what role he should play in Stevie's current predicaments, James becomes a subject in his own documentary. I spoke with Steve James after viewing the reel. Click here for that interview.

Despite the coarse topics, this piece is constructed well and with sincerity, and expands with surprising breadth. My only criticism would be regarding the use of slow motion. It subtracts from the overall honesty of the documentary. Its use here is thankfully minimal.

Subjecting such a serious work to a grading system seems inappropriate -- so I won't.

[Interview with director Steve James]