THE LAST DANCE is an exciting and excellent piece of sports documentary which follows the Chicago Bulls basketball team through the final season of greatness with Michael Jordan. Only a couple of other teams had won back-to-back titles. Only the Bulls won three-peats – and did it twice – an achievement unlikely to be matched.
What is so good about Tom Hirer’s direction of the 10 episode work is that the story of the last season – The Last Dance coach Phil Jackson called it, is that is only a frame which gives him the freedom for profiles of all the teams stars along the way.
Of course, there is Jordan – larger than Shakespeare could ever make him – pulling himself up from a kid who did not make his Varsity basketball team in high school to become the dominant athlete of his era. In interviews as well as through all the game and back-stage footage, we come to know a man who is vain and determined, who never admits defeat or forgets a slight. It is the portrait of a classic hero.
If you do not know your sports history, the continual back and forth between season as we meet the supporting teammates can be dizzying. But in the end, I decided to forgive myself not knowing where we were in time, trusting the filmmakers to get us back to home base safely.
If your family is into sports, this is a classic – if profanity-laced - achievement. It is not all pretty, but it sure is memorable.
THE LAST DANCE is now on Netflix.com.