"The Last Dance" Ep. 1-4 Review

            In the midst of COVID-19 keeping most of the country indoors, ESPN recently aired a documentary series detailing the 1997-1998 Chicago Bulls called “The Last Dance”. As of last Sunday night, the first four episodes have been released. While the series uses the 1997-1998 season as a baseline (the team granted filmmakers unprecedented access that year), the series jumps off to different timelines periodically. That final season is the common thread, but each episode tows another subject that deviates from the Bulls’ last title run. For example, episode one digs back into the origins of star-player Michael Jordan, episode two deals with the underappreciated Scottie Pippen, three with Dennis Rodman, and four with head coach Phil Jackson. All of these throwback segments lend context to the main subject, the 1997-1998 season. As we learn in the first episode, that season was fated as “The Last Dance” by Phil Jackson upon the realization that it would be the end for a team that had dominated the league for the better part of a decade.

            While “The Last Dance” may feel like a re-tread at times for those that have seen “Michael Jordan to the Max” as well the ESPN 30 for 30 films “Jordan Rides the Bus”, “Bad Boys”, “When the Garden Was Eden” and “Rodman: For Better or Worse”, it succeeds in bringing a lot of behind-the-scenes footage and fresh interviews to the table. The most current episode features a segment detailing the Bulls triumph over the pesky Detroit Pistons in the 1991 NBA playoffs. In it, former Pistons guard Isiah Thomas tries to justify his team’s decision not to shake hands with the Bulls after the completion of the series. Cut to Jordan reviewing Isiah’s current explanation and saying, “you can show me anything you want, there’s now way you can convince me that he wasn’t an a*****e.” This is one of many examples in “The Last Dance” that brings old rivalries roaring back to life with all the acrimony of the past. It is difficult to imagine such tensions existing in the present NBA.

            Along similar lines, the biggest thrills in the “The Last Dance” occur when we get a glimpse of Michael Jordan that deviates from the god-like image that has shrouded his mortality over the years.  For younger generations especially, Jordan does not so much occupy the picture of man as he does a legendary logo and image of greatness encapsulated in a number of famous highlights. He is the only athlete I can think of that occupies that rare air. However, “The Last Dance” provides moments here and there where we can see the perseverance of MJ and the effort and grit that went into those iconic plays. My favorite of these was in episode three after the Bulls eliminated the heavily favored Cleveland Cavaliers in the 1989 NBA Playoffs on Jordan’s fabled buzzer-beating shot over Craig Ehlo. All I had seen up to that point was the shot itself and Jordan subsequently fist pumping into the history books. In “The Last Dance” we get to see more of the aftermath, a reporter runs up and says, “Michael you stuck it baby!” to which MJ responds with an exasperated “Yeah!” You can hear the shake in his voice. We also get the anecdote that upon hitting that shot Jordan actually said, “Go home motherf*****s, go home!” effectively sticking it to the sportswriters that had doubted his Bulls. Those are the moments that make “The Last Dance” great viewing.

            My biggest issue with series thus far is that the filmmakers sometimes leave out information with the apparent intention of deifying Jordan beyond the truth. For example, the recap of the 1982 NCAA Championship game between North Carolina and Georgetown portrays Jordan’s game-winning shot as essentially a buzzer-beater. Jordan hits the shot, and then the scene cuts to North Carolina’s celebration. However, the filmmakers should have included the very next play in which the Hoyas’ Fred Brown erroneously passed the ball to North Carolina’s James Worthy in one of the most egregious turnovers in NCAA Tournament history. After being fouled, Worthy actually missed both of his free throws and Eric “Sleepy” Floyd ended up missing what would have been a buzzer-beating shot to win the Championship for Georgetown. So while Jordan did hit the game-winner, the way in which the ending was shown in “The Last Dance” feels a bit dishonest. The same can be said for the 1986 NBA Playoff matchup between the great Celtics led by Larry Bird and Jordan’s undermanned Bulls. “The Last Dance” goes into great detail for games 1 and 2, in which Jordan scored 49 and 63 points. Yet they again cut to the Celtics sweep of the Bulls and footage of Bird heaping praise on MJ with the famous line, “it’s just God disguised as Michael Jordan.” What isn’t mentioned is the third game which sealed the series for the Celtics, in which Jordan had just 19 points (albeit being only one assist shy of a triple-double).

            These may seem like nit-picky complaints. However, I fear they may point to a larger issue with “The Last Dance”. It would have taken maybe 15 seconds of screen time to properly settle the ending to the 1982 Championship as well as the 1986 Celtics-Bulls playoff series. And I might add that it would have taken absolutely nothing away from Jordan’s accomplishments! Just from the first four episodes of “The Last Dance” we have been given an abundance of legendary Jordan moments. Leaving out little details like those aforementioned feels somewhat shady and biased. If the filmmakers are trying to spin certain aspects of the Jordan story, even minor ones, then what else are they spinning? Hopefully the next six episodes don’t raise any more red flags in this regard.

             This complaint aside, “The Last Dance” is an undeniably well-made documentary that has provided a much-needed refresher of Jordan’s greatness. I never saw prime Michael Jordan but as a basketball fan I have been aware of his greatest hits. It is a real treat to see the backstory and behind-the-scenes of moments like the 63 point playoff outing and the shot over Ehlo. Even more so, it is interesting to see the dynamics of basketball management and coaching. One could argue that the drama off the court was as explosive as on-court, especially between GM Jerry Krause and Phil Jackson. If the rest of “The Last Dance” is anywhere as good as the first four segments, it should prove to be a madly entertaining if not completely forthright tribute to Michael Jordan and the 1997-1998 Chicago Bulls. Wrap-up review to follow the conclusion of the series.

Op-Rob 2019 Best Picture Nominee Rankings

8. “A Star is Born”

“A Star is Born” was perhaps the worst movie I saw this Oscars season. It had a few poignant moments, such as Jackson Maine’s (Bradley Cooper) conversation with George (Dave Chappelle). However, on the whole it was an incredibly confusing and fragmented film. Ally's (Lady Gaga) transition from a homegrown country singer to zany “Pop Star” is totally bizarre and unexplained, as are Maine’s troubles with addiction and haunted past manifested through his relationship with his brother. The movie seems to lay out several different paths and never commits to any of them. A good example of “A Star is Born” done correctly is “Crazy Heart” starring Jeff Bridges. Bradley Cooper’s directorial debut is more in line with T.I.’s “Whatever You Like” music video than a serious film about stardom and substance abuse.

7. “Vice”

Reviewed in full earlier on Op-Rob, “Vice” is perhaps worth watching for Bale’s masterful transformation into former VP Dick Cheney, but ultimately amounts to a jittery film meant to deliver leftist jeers at former Republican administrations.

6. “Green Book”

“Green Book” is named for “The Negro Motorist Green-Book” hotel guide that was necessary for African-Americans to safely travel throughout the South in the Jim Crow era. It is a film that mainly focuses on the relationship between two entirely different men: one is the Italian-American tough guy Tony Vallelonga (Viggo Mortensen) and the other is Dr. Don Shirley (Mahershala Ali), a sophisticated maestro who is also gay and black. The two somehow end up spending a lot of time together when Shirley hires Vallelonga as his bodyguard during a playing tour through the Deep South. While “Green Book” works as an uplifting sort of buddy drama, there is nothing extraordinary about the film. It has the feel of a made-for-TV movie in many ways, and from the very beginning the viewer can deduce what will happen by the end. Perhaps the most glaring problem with “Green Book” is how Shirley’s sexuality is skimmed over. When we discover that Shirley is gay, it is by far the most shocking revelation of the entire movie. Yet the film immediately shifts away from the subject and plods forward as if it were some small footnote. The same shallowness affects our understanding of Vallelonga’s racist views, which are somehow erased throughout the film without any real turning point. Thus, “Green Book” fails to get at the heart of the very issues that make the setting of the film compelling in the first place.

5. “Bohemian Rhapsody”

As overhyped as “Bohemian Rhapsody” was, I have to admit that I enjoyed the film as an entertaining drawn-out music video. Rami Malek is superb as Freddie Mercury, and there is an undeniable pep to each live-music scene. However, when it comes to the more daunting questions surrounding the rise and fall of Mercury, the film completely flops. We never understand Mercury’s strained relationship with his family, beyond a few scenes where it is clear they disapprove of his lifestyle. We never understand why Mercury fell in love with Jim Patton (Aaron McCusker), his eventual long time partner. And we never get a real sense of how Queen managed to make the music that made them an all-time great beyond sporadic scenes in which Mercury has an epiphany and starts belting out a hit song. The film operates as a simple showcase for Queen’s music, which serves as ample entertainment, but forgettable storytelling.

4. “Black Panther”

I reviewed “Black Panther” in full back when it was released, and thought it was a solid superhero movie and well deserving of its “Starter” rating. The fact that it squelches 4 of this years nominees speaks to just how bad this year’s lineup turned out. Sure, “Black Panther” is a good superhero movie, and it draws great strength from a primarily African-American led cast and crew. The film has vital cultural importance. But it lacks the cinematic qualities of a “Best Picture” winner. I fear that a “Black Panther” win in this category will open the doors for other superheroes who by no means belong there.

3. “The Favourite”

With “The Lobster”, “The Killing of a Sacred Deer”, and now “The Favourite”, it is hard to deny that Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos has incredible skill and a wide variety of tastes. His films are uniquely strange, and the characters never cease to surprise. Olivia Coleman, Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone each add to the authentic feel of this quirky 18th century drama. Everything from the costumes and the dialogue to the palace setting feels pitch perfect. “The Favourite” also deserves credit for its historical roots regarding Queen Anne and her court. Yet, despite all these praiseworthy elements, I cannot say that I enjoyed watching “The Favourite”. In fact, it is a rather queasy film that leaves you wondering what it was even about. I felt the same way about “The Lobster”, and it is not a good quality. Great films are not always enjoyable, nor should they be (think “Spotlight” or “Schindler’s List”), but if watching it requires a bit of pain then it should certainly offer more meaning than whatever “The Favourite” ends up providing.

2. “BlacKkKlansman”

Another film previously reviewed on Op-Rob, “BlacKkKlansman” proved to be a dynamic story full of laughs, cringes, action and surprises. It certainly deserved its “All-Star” rating. And despite the fact that I don’t necessarily buy the gimmicky finish to “BlacKkKlansman”, or the overarching political spin, it is a very well made movie that utilizes a stranger-than-fiction true story to take often convincing stabs at modern day racial issues in America.

  1. “Roma”

In an ideal world, the Best Picture is a film that speaks to the critics and the audience in a balanced way. Think of “12 Years a Slave”, “No Country For Old Men”, “Silence of the Lambs”, or even lighthearted movies such as “The Artist”, “Forrest Gump” and “Going My Way”. I realize that “Roma” is a critic’s kind of movie. People I have talked to groan when I say I think it should win. Nonetheless, Alfonso Cuarón’s film is extremely rich in terms of storytelling, subtext, and film work. It is a beautiful movie that can be studied frame-by-frame (just look at the screenshot above). Yalitza Aparicio also delivers one of the best performances of the year. Her role as Cleo, the good and honest woman, is reminiscent of Morita Mitsu, the protagonist in Shūsaku Endō’s touching novel “The Girl I Left Behind”. Seeing her operate as the glue in a family splintered by a bitter situation is subtle and inspirational. Though it is not my personal pick for best picture amongst all the movies released this past year (it would be “The Guilty” directed by Gustav Möller), “Roma” is the clear winner from this rather weak crop of nominees.