Such a frustrating disappointment

Excellent but underrated film

A story that's too fascinating to pass by...

.Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

Kobe Doin' Work is not your typical Spike Lee joint and it's not your typical documentary. However, it totally delivers because it stays true to its title: It simply lets you see what a game day is like from the eyes of Kobe.Needless to say, this joint is only for basketball fans. And if you love basketball, then you're gonna enjoy this a lot because you'll finally get a glimpse of what it takes to play at such a high level. Also, it was very interesting to see all the talk in the bench and in the locker room.Yes, Kobe comes off a bit too good in the film, but who cares? I didn't view this film to see Kobe on trial or something. And I wish there could be more films like this for other great players. Who wouldn't want Mike Doin' Work for example? Overall, a very interesting film.

In an approach to the film the other year that focused on footballer Zidane, Spike Lee sets up a multitude of cameras to follow Kobe Bryant for the entire playoff game versus the San Antonio Spurs, including access to the locker room area before, during and after the game. However, while the former film was more of an art installation project than a sports film, Lee's film appears to be more about capturing Bryant when he is doing what he does best – playing. The film even includes a narration from Bryant in addition to being able to hear him during the game.All the things appear to be in place for a very interesting film. We get to see a player at work in detail, we get access to Phil Jackson's locker room when it is normally closed, we get narration from Kobe to provide more detail and insight and it is all being made by a film director who manages to be interesting even when he makes a bad film and is passionate about his subject. What a tragic outcome then that this potential doesn't pay off due to a combination of factors – some being outside of the control of the makers but some definitely falling at Lee's door.So OK, the film is not helped by us hearing of Kobe's massive game against the Knicks on the night he recorded the audio, but it turns out that the pick of the Spurs game did not produce the best game to be focusing on Kobe. Certainly the first half of the game/film produces surprisingly little action – something that is highlighted by the two or three big plays he pulls off being shown in slow-mo or in stills. This is a problem that the makers have had to live with but certainly it leaves the casual viewer wondering what the film is trying to show us because he doesn't appear to be as special as the stats and other games say he is. It gets better as the game goes on and it does show him playing as part of a team and doing work as part of the team but the film could have done with an extended highlights reel feel to it as well as stuff that shows his basketball IQ.On top of this we have the second problem which is partly down to the sports culture today but also down to Lee's post-production. With even the hint of a scandal being seized upon by a gossip hungry media (as Kobe knows firsthand), the vast majority of rich people are "managed" within an inch of their life so as not to lose their marketability or damage their brand image. With Kobe there is an element of him maturing but there is the constant feel that he is simply being insincere and very careful when he is in front of the microphone or camera. OK so this is not Lee's fault but he must have known by this point that a way to make the game action more engaging was going to be to get the most out of Kobe's narration. I'm not sure what his plan was in the viewing room but what we get from Kobe is endless compliments and affectionate remarks about other players. Apparently nothing appears to bother him whatsoever and he loves everyone – apparently even being rough up by opposition is all a bit of fun and doesn't rile him in the slightest. What Kobe does is to make the narration dull. He has very little of interest to say for any viewer. I'm not a massive basketball fan but even discussions on tactics would have been preferable to what I got. I imagine it is hard for Kobe to know what to say for 90 minutes and this is why it was important for Lee to have prepared questions and structure based on the game – talking points if you will, subjects that he can push Kobe on and get him talking. It feels like he hasn't done this and, if he had, then it didn't work for him.Don't get me wrong there is still some stuff here of interest to the target audience. It is good to see the workings of the team and hear Kobe talking (which he does a lot of – it is just as well he is as good as he is, otherwise I guess many would tire of his constant opinions and feedback). It is also interesting to watch a game with the focus on just one player rather than the bigger picture. These factors only do so much for the film and mostly it is surprisingly dull, giving the viewer just about enough of a glimpse at the potential of what could have been done here so that the disappointment we feel is clear.

Kobe Doin' Work (2009) ** 1/2 (out of 4) Spike Lee's latest "joint" is a documentary following Kobe Bryant during one of his work days. Or, in a more detailed description, we see Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers playing the San Antonio Spurs in a basketball game from April 18, 2008. Lee was given the special privilege of getting to use nearly thirty cameras to capture the action, was given permission to film inside the locker room before and after the game as well as getting in there during halftime. The biggest twist to this documentary is that Bryant himself is doing an audio commentary. When I heard Lee was going to be doing a documentary on Bryant I was pretty excited but the end result isn't as great as I was hoping for. I was actually pretty letdown that there wasn't more here because this really seems more like an ESPN movie (where it played) rather than a Spike Lee Joint. Fans of basketball or the star are going to enjoy hearing his thoughts on playing basketball and even I will admit that it was interesting hearing his thoughts on the game. Hearing him comment on the teammates as well as the Spurs wasn't anything new but he does where a mic here, which gives us some great insight into what they discuss on the bench as well as on the floor. The commentary that Bryant provides goes into some nice detail about his thoughts on all things basketball. Hearing him breakdown plays is nice and Lee jumps in a few spots to ask questions. I think the film might have benefited with Lee jumping in more. The best stuff is the locker room scenes where we get to see some stuff we normally don't get to. I really enjoyed the halftime stuff, which to me was the highlight of the movie. The post-game stuff was nice as well. Again, this isn't your typical documentary but it is interesting enough for at least one viewing but if you're not a fan of basketball then you should stay far, far away.

Here's the deal with Kobe Doin' Work: if you're just a basketball fan, let alone a Kobe Bryant fan, this is mandatory viewing. After seeing this at the Tribeca Film Festival it was clear who this document of a basketball game, not even so much a documentary, was aimed at. For example, my brother would watch this and be hooked minute one, while my wife would steer clear faster than you can say blueberry pie. Spike Lee had a goal here and he executed it masterfully, but it's not an all-around crowd-pleaser unless, as mentioned, the whole crowd digs the Lakers and Kobe Bryant and the methods and sportsmanship of basketball in general. As someone who is neutral I had a good perspective of it, enjoying it and being interested for what it was, even as I knew I might not watch it again when it comes time for its airing on ESPN.This is to basketball what Scorsese's Shine a Light did for the Rolling Stones - setting up dozens of cameras, we're given so many points of view and angles and set-ups on a straightforward 4-quarter-long basketball game between the Lakers and the Spurs. That it also gives unlimited options for editing and creating texture and speed and variance is a bonus for the interested viewer. At the same time there's another twist Lee implements that is clever: an audio commentary from Bryant (with occasional snippets of questions or observations from Lee) on the game, all of the decisions made in strategy and the practicality of the game, or just some of the little things that one wonders about how a player does the work on the court, the cues the player picks up from the others, the cues gaged from the opposing team, little lessons learned, mistakes, and of course goofs. On top of this, Bryant has a microphone on his jersey so we hear everything he says, from mundane to down-n-dirty leadership, throughout and even in the locker room.I was never bored by any of the action, and Lee's little flourishes of style added some verve (and of course that typical jazz score as well placed about during the game) but, again, it's a niche thing. The same viewer who was fascinated by Inside Man may not immediately go to Kobe Doin' Work. And yet I can recommend it without a doubt in my mind for its intended audience, the sports geeks and guys and girls who live for basketball. It's made by a fan for the fans. For everyone else, it's a fun viewing once, with a little of the personal side of Bryant sprinkled at the end. It is what the title says, and it's damn proud of it. 7.5/10