Glen Campbell: I’ll Be Me
Composite Score: 83.3
Featuring: Glen Campbell, Kim Campbell, Ashley Campbell, Cal Campbell, Shannon Campbell, Vince Gill, Brad Paisley, Jay Leno, Clancy Fraser, Jill Fraser, and Aaron Fraser
Director: James Keach
Genres: Documentary, Music, Biography, Family
MPAA Rating: PG for thematic elements and brief language
Box Office: $365,422 worldwide
Why should you Watch This Film?
Glen Campbell: I’ll Be Me is a documentary about the farewell tour of musical artist/actor/celebrity Glen Campbell after his diagnosis with Alzheimer’s disease in 2011. The film follows Campbell and (some of) his family as they embark on an international music tour while dealing with the fallout of such a serious diagnosis and Campbell’s increasingly intense symptoms. It is a touching tribute to a great artist that also shines an important light on Alzheimer's and the need for increased research and understanding of the disease as well as the need to provide support for families currently experiencing such a diagnosis. All told, it is one of the most personally impactful documentaries that I have watched in my life.
Why shouldn’t you Watch This Film?
For people living with Alzheimer's or a loved one with Alzheimer’s, this might be a difficult film to take in. It shows a very real person suffering from the various stages of the disease and the ways that his friends and family have to try and help him with it while struggling with his increasingly difficult behavior. While the film (and the family) strives to stay positive in the face of the disease, it is difficult to look past the tragedy and sadness of it, especially if you have been personally impacted by it. At the same time, it can be helpful to see that you are not alone in this struggle and to see the solidarity of people going through similar circumstances, so maybe it is worth watching – you know yourself better than I do.
So wait, why should you Watch This Film?
Fans of Campbell will be satisfied with this film’s sendoff of the star, featuring some of his final musical performances and plenty of love from his fellow artists and performers. It never seeks to victimize him or make him into a weak caricature of an Alzheimer's patient, the documentary focuses on the ways that he continued to remain himself after he had received the diagnosis and celebrates his victories, great and small, in the months that followed. Though deterioration of his capabilities is fairly obvious by the film’s end, it does not take you invasively through to the end of Campbell’s life, leaving you instead with the melancholy reminder of Campbell’s last song, “I’m Not Gonna Miss You,” which was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song.
Glen Campbell: I’ll Be Me provides a touching tribute to a great artist and a meaningful look into the lives of people living with Alzheimer’s, highlighting the good parts without ignoring the difficulties in a way that makes the documentary a truly great piece of filmmaking with both artistic and practical impact. Though the film’s realness might touch on an uncomfortable nerve for some viewers, its positive attitude (a reflection of its subject) and informative nature make it a film worth watching. It is currently available to stream with ads on Tubi or Pluto TV or to rent on most other streaming platforms if you’d like to give it a watch.
