Untold: The Death & Life of Lamar Odom Review
Director: Ryan Duffy
Date Created: 2026-03-31 23:32
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Untold: The Death & Life of Lamar Odom Review: Created by Chapman Way and Maclain Way, with Ryan Duffy directing, this Netflix documentary focuses on a sports personality, a former NBA star, Lamar Odom, with his narration, along with insights from people who have played a significant role in his life, such as Khloé Kardashian. The documentary series is a mix of crime, sports, and biographical genres, where a look is taken at his infamous overdose in 2015, which nearly took his life, along with a look at his journey that led him to this particular incident.
Untold: The Death & Life of Lamar Odom Review
The Death and Life of Lamar Odom documentary follows the life of Odom, from his lonely upbringing in Queens, New York, to his rise as a celebrated NBA star. Odom’s road to basketball is less a quest for fame and more a desperate attempt to flee a life of instability. The early parts of the documentary subtly touch on his life after his mother passed away young, and how his surroundings were filled with drug abuse, leaving a void in his life that would stay with him as he became an adult.
As we see into his adult life and professional career, Odom’s NBA experience, especially with the Los Angeles Lakers, is seen as the highlight of his life. Being a teammate of basketball legends such as Kobe Bryant and being coached by the legendary Phil Jackson helped him gain recognition and security. However, the documentary does not romanticise this period of his life but implies that the fame and wealth he gained may have actually made his problems even worse.
It is particularly engaging when it explores Odom’s personal life. His long-term relationship with Liza Morales and the tragic loss of his infant son are a crucial part of the emotional context in which the documentary is set. What is particularly striking here is that instead of portraying the tragic loss of a son as a turning point in Odom’s life, the documentary shows how it is part of a growing trend of grief in his life. This is a crucial level of depth in portraying Odom’s struggles with addiction as inevitable and tragic.
Odom’s high-profile marriage to Khloe Kardashian is another level in portraying the story of Odom’s life in a more nuanced way. His high-profile marriage appears to offer a level of stability and support in Odom’s life, yet there are signs of trouble in their high-profile marriage that are highlighted in this documentary. Khloe’s response to Odom’s near-fatal overdose is portrayed in a sincere way as Khloe wanted to make sure he got proper care while at the same time protecting him from the media frenzy surrounding his condition. This is one of the more grounded scenes in this documentary.
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What really sets this documentary apart, however, is its decision not to follow a traditional road to redemption. In most tales of drug and alcohol abuse, a near-death experience is what finally gets the individual on the road to recovery. In this case, however, this is not so. Despite having survived multiple strokes, heart attacks, and organ failure, Odom’s journey is not so clear-cut in its road to recovery.
The story of the events, as told by Odom himself, is a major part of the documentary. Although it does serve to give some context, it is not necessarily self-critical. There are moments in the documentary where one might wonder whether there is a blurring of responsibility, but instead of clearing up such a point, the documentary simply allows Odom to have his say. It can be a little maddening to watch at times, but it does serve to reinforce the idea that the story is evolving.
The Death & Life of Lamar Odom documentary itself has a very focused approach by the director, Ryan Duffy. No sensationalism is ever used, even in the nature of the story. The documentary takes its time to allow each stage of Odom’s life to come to light. Supporting interviews add depth to his story without ever overpowering it. There are times when the documentary feels like it is passing up opportunities to go further in its investigation, especially in terms of the long-term psychological and physical effects of Odom’s overdose.
Netflix Untold The Death and Life of Lamar Odom Review: Summing Up
On the whole, however, Untold The Death & Life of Lamar Odom remains a compelling watch. It is different not because it answers questions, but because it does not. And in not looking for a neat and tidy solution, it offers a more honest exploration of addiction and recovery.
