Movie: I am: Celine Dion
Cast: Celine Dion,
Director: Irene Taylor
Rating: 3/5
Duration: 102 minutes
“I don’t want to sound dramatic but I could have died” – these words were spoken by Celine Dion provide context to their struggles with increasing cases of painful catatonic paralysis known as stiff-person syndrome, one of the rarest diseases affecting one in a million people.
The documentary comes with a warning: “The film contains shocking scenes of medical trauma. Viewer discretion is advised.” Basically, we are faced with a sad portrait of the Diva who struggles with the rare neurological disorder that made it increasingly difficult for her to sing and perform in shows.
Irene Taylor’s portrayal allows all the sadness, pain, and regret to come out. The sadness that she can no longer hit the “high notes” she was celebrated for. The pain that this could happen to her so soon after the loss of her beloved husband, at a time when she was most emotionally vulnerable. And the regret that she had to cancel or cut short several shows without exposing the true nature of her condition. Taylor’s team even managed to capture a shocking scene where Dion was in the midst of a very painful seizure.
Celine Dion recalls: “When your voice brings you joy, you can be the leader. People used to say that Celine Dion was the one who sang the highest note ever. Now, with SPS, it’s hard to hit the highest notes.” Interspersing current camera footage with home and archival videos, Taylor paints a picture of the Diva that is heartbreakingly moving. We see her dedication, persistence and hard work that have earned her the success she enjoys today. For a girl who grew up with 13 brothers and sisters in a small province of Quebec, Dion reached a peak that is quite difficult to emulate.
The documentary gives us a glimpse of the good times with her manager and husband René, times when she was pregnant, some of the time she spends with her three children, the episode she did with The Jimmy Fallon show and various moments from her recordings and concerts. The short versions of the songs that appear here include ‘Power of love’, ‘Rag Doll’, ‘Le ballet’, ‘Treat her like a lady’, ‘Ashes’, ‘All by me’, ‘Alive’ and her duet with John Farnham in Australia, ‘My heart will continue’, ‘I am’ and ‘L’amour’ from Carmen.
This documentary portrays the superstar as both human and physically flawed. It highlights the immense pressures that Dion, gifted with extraordinary talents, faces behind the scenes. It’s difficult to watch her world fall apart, as she deals with professional and health-related challenges, unsure of her next steps. We see her doing everything she can to get back to being “The Voice.” Her recent attempt to land a movie role Priyanka Chopra The romantic comedy ‘Love Again’ and the recording of the song for that film show us the difficulties he faces as he tries to recover his voice. She talks about needing to take pills to be able to perform. This movie was filmed over a 12-month period and we see Dion leave her Las Vegas mansion only three times.
We see her take comfort in revisiting the past in her 12,000-foot warehouse that contains all the items and props she used for her numerous performances. Witnessing her struggle to sing through her pain gives us insight into the strong will, resilience, and dedication that have honed her craft. “Love, affection, care, music is my foundation. I am for my family,” she says in one of her candid moments on camera. Her devotion to her craft and her love for family is quite evident. It is her battles with SPS and her struggles with her voice that have become the center of her existence now. “If I can’t run, I’ll walk. If I can’t walk, I’ll crawl.” This statement clearly tells us that Celine Dion is fighting hard and is not willing to give up anytime soon!
