The Last Dance

Given that we've got such a weird landscape of films to choose from (half of which I honestly don't want to necessarily see), I figured I would break my own rules and review a "TV show". Really there's some grey line here because The Last Dance is more a really long documentary but this is 2020 and anything goes!

But first, some history. I was born in 1990 and grew up during the Bulls dynasty. My parents tell me that I had baby "Air Jordans" (I don't remember this) and I do still have some memories from 6 onward of being a huge fan of Michael Jordan. As a little kid, I felt our connection of sharing a name, "Jordan", was a strong one and that I was one of the few that could say that. It allowed me to get basketball jerseys with my first name on the back. My first trip on a plane was to Chicago where we got to eat at his restaurant and they had a kids menu with an outline of his palm that I could compare my own against. Space Jam came out and was my favorite movie for a while (and let's be real, that movie is still a classic). I even had Michael Jordan cologne that I was allowed to spritz if we were going to a "nice" dinner. And, ultimately, he got me interested in the sport of basketball that I played for a handful of years in my youth. 

The point being that Michael Jordan was such a force of nature - such a massive star - in the 90s that it got a chubby white kid in the suburbs, who's entire family is from Nebraska, interested in basketball. And that's just my personal anecdote. I'm fairly positive that most of us 90s kids (and adults) admired Michael Jordan in some way. 

It's why the hype for this documentary, driven to dizzying proportions because of the world being locked down, was through the roof. A 10 part series about the Chicago Bull's final championship run? With never before seen footage believed to have been lost from a camera crew that year? And lengthy interviews with the often-private superstar - not to mention other basketball stars? I may have started watching because I literally had nothing better to do but by the end of it, it's clear that The Last Dance is one of the best sports documentaries ever made.

The Batman and Robin of the 90s

The look of the 90s NBA

The most surprising component of The Last Dance is how compelling it manages to be, despite the fact that we all knew the outcomes. Episode after episode I was hooked onto it, eager to understand more and holding my breath during pivotal game moments. A lot of that is owed to the unique narrative style that it takes to tell its story. Yes, this 10 episode arc is all about their final run at a 6th championship, but episode after episode, the documentary chooses to go back in time to their other championship runs, other players, and other times in Michael Jordan's history. Not only is it a creative way to avoid telling a linear story - that probably would have been kind of dull - but it's a way to provide context to the current (1998) events by tying them back to the team's past. This context building is done masterfully and is probably the key reason why this all works so well and feels so rich. For each step of the team's journey in the "Last Dance" we're taken back in time to get further context around GM decisions, Michael's mindset, team dynamics, and his star power. 

Each episode focuses on a different part of the story, creating two distinct timelines that we follow the entire time. One of which is the last season this team shared, from initial games and team politics, to the Finals against the Jazz. The other timeline follows Jordan's early college play all the way through their 5th championship. Within this structure, there's more focus than just Jordan too - though he certainly is the key focus. There's a lot of time dedicated to Phil Jackson, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, and Steve Kerr as well as the Bull's owner and GM, the "Jerry"s. It's in these non-Jordan segments that I found The Last Dance infinitely interesting. I'd always known Dennis Rodman beat to his own drum, but it's incredible what he A) got away with and B) that it didn't affect his play. Not to mention his interviews, complete with subtitles, are hilarious. I also never knew about Scottie Pippen and his backseat contract woes that arguably was the lynch pin in the Bulls being so successful; because this guy got paid less while playing at an incredibly high level. Steve Kerr, now one of the most successful coaches in the NBA, also has an interesting backstory that mirrors Jordan's own. And Phil Jackson, arguably one of - if not the absolute best - coaches of all time shares his calm philosophies on building team camaraderie and coaching style, but doesn't shy away from sharing details about the politics, Jordan's stressful starpower, or ripping his team a new one in intense game huddles. On top of that, there's plenty of interviews from other NBA stars throughout that shed color on how it was to play with or against Michael Jordan. Against some of his fiercest opponents, the creators prod Michael by showing him interview footage of his "enemies" (e.g. Isiah Thomas) which gets some good reactions, meme-able moments, and laughs. 

Yes, a lot of great Jordan memes came out of The Last Dance

The Last Dance also comes complete with a very heavy dose of 90s nostalgia, but not in a manipulative way. It's simply the camera capturing all the interesting aspects of the times and boy have they changed. Fashion was laughable (how baggy can those suits get?!?!) and I got a kick out of seeing what Jordan would wear next. He certainly made everything he did "cool", but damn, did some of that stuff not age well! There's also just a lot to love here in terms of locker room behavior and banter where the guys harp on one another while smoking a cigar or even drinking beers before the game. You can be certain that's not a widespread thing in the NBA today, but it was amusing to me nonetheless, a sign of a bygone era similar when airplanes used to allow smoking. Then we have the soundtrack that's complete with 90s hits across a broad spectrum and "Jock Jams" (anyone remember those?) that defined sporting events in that era and are immediately reminiscent of the opening Space Jam credits. 

Finally, you have Michael Jordan himself, clearly aged but enjoying "retirement" (he still works a lot) and the insane net wealth that he has. His interviews are complete with a cigar and a pour of whiskey or cognac (or something brown) by his side. Through his interviews we're able to understand his mindset so much more because he's so open. I wouldn't say that it feels like there's no stone left unturned, but there's a shocking amount of willingness to participate and comment on dicey subjects. It adds so much to the documentary because of what I mentioned earlier: context. You begin to piece together why he was so tired in 93' and 98', why he could be so hard on his TMs, where his mindset was constantly at, why he behaved or reacted the way he did, etc. 

No caption needed

The Last Dance ended up being even better than I had anticipated and I think it surpassed the elevated hype it earned. It feels like a complete package and a complete story of not just Michael Jordan alone, but a Bulls team and a 90s era that was defined by their success. Like a good movie, it effortlessly moves from humor to compelling drama to intriguing character study, all while presenting a unique dual-timeline approach to getting to the finish line. And if this is the final say on the Bulls dynasty - after countless other documentaries about them and MJ - they'll be going out like they're used to: on top. 

CONS

• Not necessarily the docs fault, but the commercial breaks were awkward and abrupt. Sometimes felt like they almost came in the middle of an interview
• Felt longer than it needed to be, but I honestly can't say what I would have cut to make it shorter. Maybe less interviews from less important players?
• I would have liked some sort of coda about what Michael's and his TMs ventures are today. Steve Kerr is obvious, but what's Scottie Pippen up to? Is Dennis Rodman doing anything else other than befriending North Korea?

PROS

• Unique approach to telling the story. This isn't just all about their final championship run or Michael Jordan alone
• Parallel timeline structure is a highly effective bridge to provide context to their final championship year while also giving us tons of interesting insight to years/championships prior
• Yes MJ is the focus - as you would expect - but the interviews of other players around the NBA, and particularly on that Bulls team, are continuously captivating
• The unedited version (TV-MA) is raw and I don't think this should be experienced any other way
• Consistently compelling because of the interwoven stories, structure, and music choice
• 90s nostalgia all over the place from the fashion, the soundtrack, the cigars in the locker room, etc.
• Feels like a complete picture of the team, the NBA, Michael Jordan and a whole host of other topics
• The interviews with Jordan are special - a superstar being as open as he can be about his faults, why he acts the way he does, and his legacy

Rath's Review Score | 

10/10 - Instant Classic