Like Mike

Like Mike is currently streaming in Australia on Disney Plus, and in the US on Disney Plus and fuboTV, and it delivers exactly the kind of comedy that earns a loyal following. The runtime earns every minute, with nothing here that feels like padding. 571 viewers have already rated it on TMDB — the kind of consensus that does not happen by accident. Shad Moss sets the tone, and the rest of the cast matches it scene for scene. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on Disney Plus.

Whatever else is competing for your attention this week, Like Mike is worth clearing space for. The jokes in Like Mike land because the characters underneath them are worth caring about. Calvin and his friends, who all live in an orphanage, find old shoes with the faded letters MJ connected to a powerline. One stormy night, they go to get the shoes when Calvin and the shoes are struck by lightning. Calvin now has unbelievable basketball powers and has the chance to play for the NBA. Shad Moss and Morris Chestnut lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 2002. The timing in Like Mike is precise enough that even the throwaway lines land on a second watch. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

Like Mike is the kind of thing you put on in the background and end up fully watching. It does not lean on comparisons to make its case. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch from start to finish. Shad Moss is funny in a way that holds up on rewatch. Put it on when you need something guaranteed to land.