Kobe Bryant - he's no Zu Zu Zidane

So, first things first, cutting to the chase, regarding this furore over Spike Lee's documentary on Kobe Bryant, you all know this was done before, right?


''Zidane - a 21st century portrait'', created by Douglas Gordon and Philippe Parenno, has been hailed as a classic, a fascinating infusion of style, class and substance as the two directors followed one of the greatest soccer players ever through an entire match in 2008.

Sounds shockingly similar to Spike Lee's controversial-before-release 'Kobe doin' work', doesn't it? In his movie;

''
Lee had flown to Los Angeles, and had 30 cameras in place for the April 13, 2008, Lakers game against the San Antonio Spurs.''

Lee's movie has only just opened however advance reports are that the making of this love story for Kobe Bryant was riddled with issues from the start, none bigger than the stars insistence on having creative control;

''
But suddenly Bryant said he wouldn't cooperate unless he was granted creative control, sources said. Lee tried several times to call Bryant, who wouldn't accept his calls. So Lee, at the suggestion of ESPN broadcaster Stephen A. Smith, drove to Bryant's house in a gated community, where Bryant refused to see him, sources said.''
NY Post

Independent reviews of the 'movie' are less than glowing.

''essentially a rebroadcast of an April 13, 2008, NBA game between the Los Angeles Lakers''
Scott Feinberg

Seems like this is one Spike Lee joint to avoid at all costs, unless perhaps you are a Lakers fan, even then you will want to show up late and leave a half hour before it ends, am I right?

Moral of the story, if you want to catch an interesting, unique perspective on a gifted athlete, check out 'Zidane', if you want to be bored to death by a narcissistic, sycophantic 'movie' about a guy who beat a rape charge and then commented ''Although I truly believe this encounter between us was consensual, I recognize now that she did not and does not view this incident the same way I did'', go see 'Kobe doin' work'.


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