‘Amazing Grace,’ an Incredible Aretha Franklin Concert Film, Is Now on Hulu

What would you say if you had the opportunity to be a fly on the wall while the incomparable Aretha Franklin sang her heart out at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles in 1972, moving an audience—an audience that included Mick Jagger—to tears? Well, I presume you, being a sane person with ears and a heart, would say, “Sign me the heck up.”

That’s essentially what you’ll get with Amazing Grace, a documentary concert film that came out in theaters this past spring which is now streaming on Hulu. The film was originally shot and directed by acclaimed filmmaker Sydney Pollack, who you know from directing such films like Out of Africa and Tootsie. Pollack, who died in 2008 at the age of 83, never lived to see the film released. It was delayed for years due to technical difficulties with the audio—until producer Alan Elliot purchased the footage, remastered it, and premiered a shortened version of the film at the Doc NYC film festival in 2018. Elliot had previously attempted to release the film in 2011, but Franklin sued the producer for appropriating her likeness without her permission. After the singer’s death in 2018, her family granted permission for the film to be released.

Amazing Grace was met with rave reviews from critics last year. But many of Franklin’s biggest fans never got a chance to see it, given that it only opened in a total of 263 theaters in its limited release. Now, finally, anyone with access to Hulu will be able to watch one of the greatest singers who ever lived at the top of her game. The documentary depicts two consecutive performances from Franklin at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles, where the Queen of Soul was accompanied by the Southern California Community Choir, as directed by Alexander Hamilton. Reverend James Cleveland led the evening and added to the concert as a singer and piano player. Bernard Purdie played the drums, and Chuck Rainey played the bass. In his review of the film for Decider, Benjamin H. Smith noted that of the two concerts, “night one is intimate and transcendent, [while] night two crackles with mania and mischief.” (Perhaps part of that second-night mischief had to do with the fact that Rolling Stones members Mick Jagger and Charlie Watts were in the audience.) The songs are not presented in the film in the same order they were performed on that night, but the tracklist includes Marvin Gaye’s “Wholy Holy,” Clara Ward’s “How I Got Over,” and, of course, John Newton’s “Amazing Grace.”

Even for non-religious folk like myself, listening to Franklin in this capacity is a spiritual journey, in part because it’s clear how affected everyone in the room was. (Both Franklin and Cleveland break down in tears at one point.) That this footage was almost lost forever is harrowing, and that it’s now available to millions is a gift that should not be wasted. If you love the Queen of Soul—or if you just love music in general—watching this film should be a no-brainer. Just be sure you have a full box of tissues ready before you hit play. If Franklin could reduce her audience to tears in 1972, you know she can do it for her audiences in 2019.

Where to stream Amazing Grace