Amateur

Amateur (2018) is an American drama directed by Ryan Koo — watch it online on iFILM. Michael Rainey Jr. plays Terron Forte, a 14-year-old basketball prodigy recruited to an elite NCAA prep school with a scholarship, state-of-the-art facilities, and a coaching staff that can actually get him to the next level. Runtime: 96 minutes.

The problem is the system. Terron quickly discovers that the school's prestige rests on an under-the-table economy where young athletes generate enormous value while remaining, technically, amateurs. Josh Charles plays the head coach navigating the contradictions of the setup; Sharon Lial plays Terron's mother, who understands the stakes better than anyone on the coaching staff.

Koo keeps the film away from the triumphant-underdog formula. The focus stays on how the amateur athletics machine actually works — who profits, who carries the risk, and what it costs a teenager to figure that out mid-season. It's a sharper sports film than the genre usually produces at this budget. Stream Amateur (2018) online on iFILM.