Though the meteoric rise and career of Michael Jordan is modern lore, there were some new insights and narratives that were brought to the publicโs eye through the documentary. โThe Last Danceโ lets us into the psyche of one of the greats and expands on the popularity, fame and laud bestowed onto him. Quite compelling is the somewhat nonlinear timeline, which effectively keeps the audience glued to the screen as the tale unfolds. The source material is quite vast, and can be arduous to enumerate and relish on effectively but the effective editing and the specifically cherry picked stories help articulate the narrative succinctly and quite thoroughly. The inclusion of expanded narratives of secondary character and occasional quips of tertiary characters, along with Michaelโs reaction in the documentary help to embolden the underlying story and provide deeper context and understanding of Michael. The dynamic back and forth adds report and gives greater context into his mindset and provides dynamic content which doesnโt feel static. Despite his turbulent relationship with his GM being common knowledge and the perceived hardships with losing his father was covered prior, it was only superficially. The documentary goes in depths of fully aggregating and compounding a fun and entertaining narrative, which leaves lots of questions answered. His retirement and certain choices were often sources of great discontent and adversity for fans, media, and other pundits. The media and news had pigeon holed him as a flat, one dimensional demigod of an athlete and often skimped on who he truly was. Jordan is a multifaceted person, and this Documentary adds dimension to his character. Although heโs always been multifaceted, his media portrayal never expanded.
For a superstar and athlete that transcended popular culture, this documentary is imperative for fans and non fans alike. For a basketball enthusiast, who grew up in the 90s and 80s, its imperative to watch. I can safely asset that this documentary is quite re-watchable, and answers lots of formidable questions from the 1990s. Also the subplots about Rodman, Scottie, Phil Jackson, the Nike signing, and the Dream Team camaraderie offered up unique perspectives. The overall dynamic of the Bulls/Pistons Rivalry, and inclusion of narratives from Kerr, Grant, Isaiah, Kobe, Barkley, and Tony Kukoc is nothing short of spectacular and engaging.
Three things stood out for me after watching: the flu game was a misnomer, as it was actually food poisoning from pizza delivered under suspicious circumstances. Secondly he was interested in Adidas before Nike, and took the meeting to appease his mother. Lastly, his contentious relationship with Bulls former GM Jerry Reinsdorf is justified. Always thought that it was mere speculation and highly embellished, but itโs evident through the course of the series. He undermined his players at every corner and itโs clear through Jordanโs and Pippenโs admonishment of him.
The timing couldnโt be anymore spectacular as it was shortly after the passing of the great Kobe Bryant it was released. The docuseries is chicken soup for the soul for basketball fans. Perhaps in a few decades we will watch one about Bryant, only hope theyโll make it as compelling as this.