Critics Are Saying Céline Dion's New Documentary Is 'Intimate' And 'Gut-Wrenching'
Céline Dion is giving fans an unprecedented insight into her life in her brand new documentary.
The My Heart Will Go On singer’s new film, I Am: Céline Dion, captures her struggles living with stiff person syndrome – a debilitating neurological condition which causes muscle stiffness and painful spasms.
While Céline first opened up about the disorder back in 2022, she has since spoken out about how it has affected her singing voice.
Now, the legendary performer has shared a deeply honest look behind-the-scenes at her life with the illness.
Directed by the Oscar-nominated Irene Taylor, the documentary has been widely praised by critics for being a raw and vulnerable window into the star’s life.
Here’s what the reviews are saying so far…
Deadline
“A raw and gut-wrenching documentary reveals a music superstar through her most challenging physical trauma… this film is ultimately about resiliency in the face of one of life’s cruelest tricks, taking away the engine that drives Dion’s existence.”
The Hollywood Reporter
“The film is as much about the singer as it is about the realities of living with a chronic illness. Taylor does not shy away from sitting in on difficult points in Dion’s life, including one painful scene in which the singer seizes up after a busy and overstimulating afternoon… This palpable and visceral glimpse into her pain is a jolting reminder of the toll this condition has taken on Dion not just as a star but as a person.”
The Guardian (4/5)
“An earnest love letter from one of the last true divas… Like her music, which has cut through the emotional defences of millions across languages, I Am: Céline Dion is unabashedly sentimental, deeply earnest and, for a true pop diva, mostly devoid of ego, with a few exceptions.”
Variety
“The word ‘diva’ – which certainly applies to Dion – often implies self-centered, even temperamental star behaviour, though those aspects couldn’t be farther from the personality Taylor captures.”
Washington Post (3/5)
“In the age of tightly controlled music documentaries that capture pop stars at their zeniths, Dion is again paving the way by trading the practised precision of her performances for glimpses of her most vulnerable moments.”
The Daily Beast
“A harrowing, upsetting watch… I Am: Celine Dion reveals the extent of the physical and emotional pain the singer’s gone through because of her rare disorder – and her determination to move on in spite of it.”
IndieWire (B+)
“The iconic singer opens up about stiff person syndrome in a superb, intimate documentary… She’s never been anyone but herself, and this movie allows that self to shine through in ways that feel rare for a documentary about an artist.”
The A.V. Club
“This intimate, bruising doc is a wonder… The doc rightly does not leave us with an uplifting message nor with a bleak one; it leaves us with the uncomfortable, if comforting, idea that the 56-year-old singer is still sorting out through who she was, who she is, and who she may yet become.”
I Am: Céline Dion is available to watch now on Prime Video. Watch the trailer below:
