I have only been to one NBA game in my life and that was 10 years ago (the Vancouver Grizzlies against Portland, I think it was). I didn't understand the rules of this high-scoring sport so I thought the half time acrobat show was the most entertaining part of the event. Nevertheless, I was intrigued when I received a review copy of the ESPN basketball documentary Kobe Doin' Work.

Helmed by renowned film director Spike Lee (Do the Right Thing, Summer of Sam, Malcolm X), Kobe Doin' Work focuses on a "game in the life" of LA Lakers star Kobe Bryant. From it, I hoped to learn something about how the game of basketball is played and about the life of one of the biggest sports stars in the world. As a fan of other sports (particularly English Premier League soccer) I was also curious to get a sense of what goes on before and after the TV coverage of a big game.

Kobe Doin' Work had a little bit of all of the things I was hoping for. Most of the film's 85-minute running time takes place during the first three quarters of a game between the Lakers and the San Antonio Spurs.  It was a crucial match-up in the NBA Western Conference title challenge during the 2007/2008 season. Lee focused 30 cameras on Bryant before, during and after the game. Microphones also caught the talk that TV broadcasts don't usually pick up (including some strong language). Apart from on-court action, which mostly (but not exclusively) has Bryant front and centre, Bryant is captured interacting with team mates, officials and the team coach during the game and in the locker room at half time.

In addition to being filmed live, Bryant also recorded commentary after the game that is played as a voiceover during the action. In it he talks about specific plays, the Lakers' opponents and the importance of beating the Spurs in the context of the season. Bryant also explains his attitude towards this highly technical sport and praises coaches that have influenced him and other Lakers' players. Throughout his commentary he comes across as literate, unpretentious and confident of his ability and insight.

Kobe Doin' Work is not a typical sports documentary. Nor is it merely a rehash of ESPN's live broadcast of the Lakers/Spurs game. Although there are excerpts from the channel's own live commentary and brief appearances by ESPN basketball experts, it is Bryant who dominates the film. From a commercial point of view, this is both a strength and a weakness. For fans of the Lakers' star, Kobe Doin' Work is likely to be a treat. Other dedicated basketball fans will probably also find at least some of Bryant's thoughts interesting. For casual fans, though, there may not be enough variety or general content here to hold the attention.

For my part, I found Bryant's commentary appealing to my curiosity but I didn't need the video to appreciate it. Indeed, given my ignorance about basketball and the film's focus on Bryant rather than game action or the sport, I found watching the film a tedious experience. There is not much either end of the game to give insight into what goes on off the court and there are few glimpses of Bryant's day-to-day life. This is not, therefore, what I would consider to be a definitive portrait of one of the basketball's greatest athletes, as the press release accompanying the film suggests. Moreover, it isn't intended to be an instructional video about the rules of the game. To be fair, then, basketball newbies like me are probably not the target audience of this film.

In addition to the documentary, the DVD of Kobe Doin' Work includes an introduction by Spike Lee and deleted scenes that include the fourth quarter of the Lakers vs. Spurs game and a press conference. There is also a behind the scenes featurette, a Bruce Hornsby music video and a photo montage. It is also possible to watch the on-court action with or without censored commentary. The audio on the disc is provided in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound and with Spanish and French subtitles.

Kobe Doin' Work is an ESPN Home Entertainment DVD release in conjunction with Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment. The screener I received is labelled as the "MVP Limited Edition". That title appears to be more of an advertising gimmick than a sign of added value, however, because there is no indication of how many copies this edition is limited to.