Iverson

Allen Iverson was one of the most controversial players to ever step foot on an NBA floor. He changed the way players played the game on and off the court. He introduced the NBA to the baggy clothes and the sleeves of tattoos. But he also had one of the meanest crossovers and killer jump shots. He was not only an unbelievable basketball player but he turned into a cultural icon in the late 90's and early 2000's. I remember seeing the excessive coverage he received, good and bad.

Being in my early 20's now, Iverson was one of the many superstars I have grown up watching, along with Garnett, Kobe, and LeBron. So was very intrigued to see how this documentary would approach such a polarizing figure. And I came out pleased. It's not as focused as the recent Kobe Bryant documentary or as visceral as a 30 for 30 doc, but it was a solid biography to say the least. The film takes a big step by using interviews with comparisons to MLK or Malcom X, and I wouldn't say it proves he was anywhere near as impactful as they were, but Iverson was very famous nonetheless. His jerseys were consistently among the most highly purchased every year, no matter if he changed his team or not. But he had his off the court issues. Which included spending numerous months in jail in between high school and college as he was supposedly wrongfully convicted of a crime. It was here where I noticed the film took the approach of using interviews from a wide variety of sources instead of getting updated footage like most docs. It's not necessarily a bad thing, but it tends to not feel as fresh this way.

Once he made it to the NBA, he took the league by storm. With accolades as good as anybody. The film focused on how much he didn't fit in though, it was almost like the business and atmosphere of the NBA was never made for someone like Iverson. He was as gifted as any point guard to ever enter the league, but there were times he just didn't care all that much. I loved the way one interviewee described it "He had good intentions, but he just didn't take it seriously". And that's unfortunate, because like Larry Brown said, he could have been the most popular player in league history. Lastly, I really liked that the film addressed the infamous 'Practice' interview and just how misunderstood that whole thing was. Throughout the documentary you see a different side to Allen and various details about the things you already knew. Now sure, the film gets uneven at times. With a film that goes through his life in order, it seems hard to do, but the focus shifts several times. And I would have liked to have seen new and updated interviews. There's virtually no new footage for the actual film.

+Sets things straight

+Legit biography

+Shows his cultural icon status

-Uneven at times

-No new footage

7.6/10

This was a great inspirational, motivational movie. Before this movie, I had no idea who Iverson was . After this movie, he was my favorite player. Even though Iversons presence in the world wasn't as impacting as people like Muhammad ali or Martin Luther Kings presence was, this film made it seem like it was.

This film shows you many things you probably didn't know about the man who could have and was one of the greatest athletes , not just for what he did on the court , but also off the court. Despite this film being a documentary, it was made in a story-like fashion. It was also made in chronological order , which adds to it being an even better story/documentary.Since this movie is expressing Iversons passion for the sport , it can be touching for basketball lovers. I felt slightly emotional towards the end of the movie. I strongly recommend this film for basketball fans , sport fanatics or anyone interested in important figures in the history of sport. Its suitable and interesting for any audience , that's what makes such a great film.

Quite the shambolic retelling of the tragedy/fortunate life that is Iversons. I've never been a big sports guy outside of THPS. However I've been on a big basketball documentary kick lately, and have to say this is one of favorites. Not your typical sports doc, which I think explains the 7.0 average rating. I was shocked to see that after watching it and checking the rating I was thinking it would be 8.0 + easy, and was sadly mistaken.

The new Jim Crowe would be a sensible pairing because of their proquinity in liberal social-political informative similarities. In summary, Iverson is much more of a introspective humanitarian piece, rather than a biopic basketball doc. Like minded people will have an appreciation for its positive informative undertones and overtones of exposing such (hower unfortunate) quotidian injustices.

A.I was the undisputed king of the 6 feet and under players ever to grace an NBA floor. He also is a top 25 regardless of height. I may be a homer because of the fact that I am born and raised in Philly, however the stats and the heart don't lie. This story shows that even though the odds are stacked as high as the great wall with enough drive and talent you can be a star. A.I is an icon in Philly and whether you hate em or love em you have to respect him!!!! A.I can still be seen every week in Philly and is one of the most approachable athletes in the city. The movie shows how a young man from the ghetto made his mark with more than just athletics; it shows the lives he touched and paints a picture that the media failed to portray during his career. Very well done and a great watch for any fan

You were probably deceived by the media's portrayal of a brash, conceited, ball-hog. In reality, Allen Iverson was a saint. A sadly misunderstood saint. With his nightly miracles on the hardwood captured on tape for all eternity, there can be no doubt. Pope Francis, are you listening?