Why Kobe Bryant's New Film is a Must See

This past Saturday evening Kobe Bryant's documentary "Muse" aired on Showtime. Now I cannot say that I watched it live, I instead found a way of watching online recently, and it is great. The focus is all on Kobe, of course, and it is fitting. Bryant explained in a recent interview that the original film contained interviews with many people who had been involved in Bryant' life, but in the end Bryant himself is the only person featured in the film. It's all Bryant all the time. From the beginning of his life following his father around as he played in both the NBA and Italy, to his recent injury plagued seasons, Muse truly captures Bryant's essence. He is a control freak who will do anything to be the best and will not stop until he is. At the same time he is a caring father who is able to provide an honest and interesting perspective on his career. While I do not want to give much away, there was a part of the film that particularly stood out to me. During the 1996-97 NBA season Bryant was a rookie for the Los Angeles Lakers who did not receive consistent minutes. He explains that he even questioned whether or not he made the right decision to go pro straight out of High School, when he could have been at UCLA getting to college experience. In the teams last game of the season (Game 5 of the Western conference semi-finals vs. the Utah Jazz), Bryant air balled 4 TIMES in overtime as his team was eliminated from the playoffs. He goes on to explain that when he got back to Los Angeles at three in the morning he went straight to the gym and did not leave all day. It was this obsession with being the best that led the future hall of famer to becoming one of the best in league the next year. The film is great (especially the part focused on the Boston-LA rivalry), and it provides a very unique perspective on the drive and will of Kobe Bryant. This is a must watch for any basketball fan.