The story of Lawrence Phillips, who had so much talent on the football field but so much trouble off it before dying in prison, is captured in a poignant documentary debuting Friday night on Showtime.
Taking a central role in the saga is St. Louis, where Phillips had some of his best days but made some very bad decisions. The documentary tells it all from his tormented life, which was marked by domestic violence arrests and an arrest for attempted murder but also a much softer side that included eloquent love letters to a girlfriend he battered and nearly killed before attempting reconciliation.