My guess is that you could make hundreds or even thousands of films very similar to "30 for 30: Benji". After all, for every kid that eventually grows up and makes it big in sports, there are countless others who fail miserably on their way to this grand life. In some cases, the kids end up destroying themselves and in some others they just happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. In the case of "Benji", I think it's a little bit of each--but mostly a case of a kid being in the wrong place at the right time.
Benji was a local Chicago kid who was expected to be a top college and NBA star. After all, going into college, he was the #1 ranked prospect in the entire world! Much of the film shows his life as folks talk about his accomplishments on the basketball court and how he was an inspiration to so many people. Later, however, he made a few bad choices (teen pregnancy and a few other missteps), but he still seemed destined for greatness....until some punks decided to kill him for no particular reason.
All in all, a very depressing episode of "30 for 30"--perhaps the most depressing. Well worth seeing but one that is occasionally marred by folks talking about this young man like he was some sort of angel. He wasn't--he was very, very normal--and to me, that is what makes this story so sad, as just about all our kids are normal! What a loss. Additionally, call me a cynic if you'd like but some of the interviewees seemed more like folks who were more interested in being seen than about Benji and his untimely death--and one of Benji's family members said as much in one of the clips. I think dropping many of the interviewees in favor of those who knew and loved the kid would have tightened this one up a bit and made it a great episode instead of just another good one from "30 for 30".
Benji was a local Chicago kid who was expected to be a top college and NBA star. After all, going into college, he was the #1 ranked prospect in the entire world! Much of the film shows his life as folks talk about his accomplishments on the basketball court and how he was an inspiration to so many people. Later, however, he made a few bad choices (teen pregnancy and a few other missteps), but he still seemed destined for greatness....until some punks decided to kill him for no particular reason.
All in all, a very depressing episode of "30 for 30"--perhaps the most depressing. Well worth seeing but one that is occasionally marred by folks talking about this young man like he was some sort of angel. He wasn't--he was very, very normal--and to me, that is what makes this story so sad, as just about all our kids are normal! What a loss. Additionally, call me a cynic if you'd like but some of the interviewees seemed more like folks who were more interested in being seen than about Benji and his untimely death--and one of Benji's family members said as much in one of the clips. I think dropping many of the interviewees in favor of those who knew and loved the kid would have tightened this one up a bit and made it a great episode instead of just another good one from "30 for 30".