96 Reviews
9/10
Deeply moved but...
kenwong5125 June 2024
After watching this documentary, I was deeply moved and saw a more genuine side of Celine Dion. Her dedication, persistence, and hard work have earned her the success she enjoys today.

However, seeing the ending left me feeling somewhat distressed. In fact, I believe there is nothing more precious than a healthy life. If Celine ever has the chance to read this comment, I just hope she takes care of her health and doesn't overexert herself by insisting on continuing to sing. Perhaps it's better to say, I am convinced that even if she just walked on stage to say hello, countless fans from over the years would still buy tickets to see her.
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7/10
A brave and raw look
MEMangan30 June 2024
No one would be surprised or resentful if a performer facing such drastic health issues chose to retreat entirely from public view. It is brave of Dion to reveal this struggle in such a raw and honest manner, and no doubt it will earn her sympathy from the fans she's so afraid to disappoint.

But it was clear to me that worse than this terrible disorder, what hurts her is her loss of identity as a performer. From such a young age, that's all she's known.

We saw a lot of physical therapy in this piece. However, I really wished we saw her in behavioral health therapy too. I think that is also as serious here--her loss of identity.

And as I realized that was the main issue, all I could see in this piece was another performance that she needed to deliver, and I felt uneasy about that. Her anxiety was giving me anxiety. She doesn't need to do this for her fans. It's ok, she can put her feet up, and write, design clothes or shoes or whatever, or paint, and everything else she missed out over the decades. I wish she could lower her perceptions of what she owes people--she doesn't. It's really ok to rest now. She deserves it.

I wish her some peace and ease, so very much.
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9/10
Many people will cry...
zzjbcyn26 June 2024
"I AM CELINE DION" is a deeply emotional and raw documentary that truly captures the essence of Celine Dion, a superstar who is as human as any of us. The film made me cry a couple of times, highlighting the immense pressures and vulnerabilities she faces behind the spotlight. Celine is portrayed with a perfect balance of her imperfections and her extraordinary talents. It's incredibly difficult to watch her world fall apart, seeing her grappling with personal and professional challenges, unsure of her next steps. Despite everything, her voice remains her anchor. Witnessing her struggle to sing through her pain is utterly heartbreaking, yet it underscores her resilience and unwavering dedication to her craft. This documentary is a poignant reminder of Celine's humanity, making her story all the more relatable and touching.
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10/10
Sunset of the Diva
nkishudak26 June 2024
I'm speechless how open she is. But I also can relate. Around 5 years ago I started lost my senses in my limbs and was diagnosed with a spine condition. As an ex-athlete it was - and still is difficult to accept that the best days are behind and the passion that kept me going is gone.

Nobody's immune to fate. She's and always will be a true Diva, with a wonderful voice and personality.

I enjoyed seeing backstage footages, she's just being at home, her open personality about her illness and life. And the fact that she is aging gracefully, no make up. Just her at home talking about her passion and struggles.

Celine, show or not - you are loved. It's hard not to feel "guilty" when we have a good day. But try to enjoy it without being hard on yourself.
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10/10
The most Real Dion you will see
corpvip24 June 2024
This documentary will hit you hard with reality. Irene Taylor did an amazing job showcasing, chronologically, what Celine Dion has gone through over the years,concert by concert. A few snippets of HD footage are mixed with raw versions of makeup-free Celine struggling. For the 911 scene, bring tissues because, in the end, its about a human trying.to continue her dream of returning to the stage. Celine, your heart will go on forever. We are here not for the apples., but for the tree.

My most favourite part was the home made scenes and the family interaction. Extremely recommended to watch in Amazon Prime.
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10/10
SPS = A a prison sentence
Ameliex25 June 2024
For me, a documentary is all about being raw and authentic. This is the definition of a documentary!

It is so sad to watch a person with a fire inside her, but she can't do what she wants. Imagine being thirsty and you are in a desert with no water, it's like dying. SPS is pure hell. I feel so sorry for Celine and the struggle and pain she is going through.

You can feel through the screen that she wants to sing but can't. The fact that she can't sing like she used to due to SPS is heartbreaking. The whole situation going on with Celine is heartbreaking.

But, we should not forget that other people around the world are suffering from SPS too, and going through the same pain and struggles. We shall also not forget that Celine has an amazing team around her. Her team is helping her and trying to make this difficult journey as easy as possible for her. The fact that she is rich enough to afford a team that will take care of her and make sure that she has everything she needs is worth a lot. It doesn't take away the pain of course or the struggle but it takes away a little bit of the worry for her about money or healthcare issues or whatever issue.

Imagine being a normal person with a normal income and dealing with SPS.

Celine should be happy she has the financial security to deal with this. It helps and is comforting In some ways.

At least she doesn't have to worry about certain things while dealing with this SPS.

Anyhow this documentary was amazing and it give us a view of how it is to live with SPS. How devastating it is.

It's like being in a prison of some sort. You try to escape this prison but can't. I feel SPS is like a prison sentence of some sort.

I'm glad she felt comfortable enough to be herself in this documentary. To educate and raise awareness about SPS.

She is a brave woman! She is truly amazing and has done amazing things in life. I'm glad she felt comfortable enough to show this side of her and her life.

100% a must-watch for sure!
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10/10
I'm not crying...honest.
ianest25 June 2024
When you sit down to watch this, have a box of tissues ready. This is one of the most beautiful, genuine, raw and heartbreaking documentaries I've seen on a real icon.

Over the past decade or so we have had hours and hours of fake "reality" TV and documentaries produced. They are scripted, staged, not a wrinkle seen or an hair out of place, where everything is a "drama." Think the Kardashians.

This documentary is real, and honest. Céline Dion comes across down to earth and very self aware.

I wouldn't call myself a fan, but I can't deny her talent, and how her illness is affecting her life and family.
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You must be prepared....
searchanddestroy-127 June 2024
I am not a Celine Dion's fan, but I must admit that she is a tremendous singer, and since so many decades now.... She was helped a long time ago by her husband, René Angeli, who discovered her and found contracts for her. But besides this, she made herself. She has always been very dedicated to her passion, singing. Her closest family is her fans. And seeing her in such a physical and psychological distress, is really painful for everyone, even the non fans as me. So, imagine the genuine, die hard fans.... To watch the pain of this poor Celine is a pure torture for anyone, unless being cold hearted. Seeing poor Celine trying to sing, with the "broken" voice and then crying in front of the camera was too much for me. I prefer a torture sequence in a fiction stuff. I sincerely hope she will make it against this awful disease.
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7/10
Unflinching glimpse into a diva's battle with disease
jweeks20207 July 2024
I am: Celine Dion is a glimpse into the life of mega star and super talented Canadian singer, Céline Dion. This documentary primarily focuses on her struggles with health issues that greatly impact her personal and professional life.

If you are looking for a comprehensive documentary that covers her entire life, you will be disappointed as this primary focuses on her battle and the impact of having Stiff Persons Syndrome. Her upbringing, road to stardom, relationships with friends and family, etc. Are only ever briefly glossed over.

However, it does a great job showing how illness can greatly limits oneself, not only physically but also how it can have even more devastating consequences on ones mental health, and in the case of Celine, whose identity is very much wrapped up in being a singer and performer, what that means when those things are taken away.

In a way this speaks to the aging process, how we cope when our bodies betray us and no longer able to do what they once were able to. It also speaks about self identity. When your self identity is wrapped around just one or two things (ie. A job, being a mother, being famous), what happens when those things change or are taken away. What is left?

It is truly heart wrenching seeing Céline Dion suffer through this disease (and the camera doesn't shy away showing her suffering and in pain) and while she is constantly surrounded by support staff, she seems so alone.

I praise Céline Dion for agreeing to showcase not only her highs but also her lows and when she is most vulnerable. She is regularly seen in a raw unglamourous light (no make-up, hair just pulled back, and wearing casual lounge outfits), talking about upsetting and emotional subjects, and even at one point showing unflinching footage of her suffering through an attack where she is at her most vulnerable and obviously in considerable pain in discomfort.
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10/10
Raw, emotional, and eye opening.
jesseyost-1137523 June 2024
Very few celebrities would open their home and themselves to be shown in such a vulnerable and raw way. Celine Dion and her diagnosis of Stiff Person Syndrome are the center piece for this film with excellent clips and photos of her long and stored career. She is shown in a way that truly touches you with her honest, stripped, and laid bare presentation of her journey to a diagnosis and treatment.

The film is edited well, has a great soundtrack with beautiful orchestral arrangements to bolster the soundtrack you already know so well. I'm very impressed with the editing and the way the story is rolled out.

I recommend this film for anybody that is a fan of Celine or wants a better understanding of her journey with Stiff Person Syndrome. Very eye opening.
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6/10
No denying her talent
texaspeetz28 June 2024
As a musician and a personality there is no denying that she is immensly talented but that being said she is just human. It happens to all of us, thrown a curve that we were not expecting, having to recreate ourselves to carry on. Most are not given the opportunity to even know what their real talents are much less the alignment of being in the right place at the right time. It worked out for her and she has a world of admirers, which she deserves. I couldn't watch the whole interview because of the emphasis on her oppulent lifestyle. It took away from what the story could have been in pursuit of knowing what SPS and how her experience may help others.
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10/10
Unparalleled talent, fighting for a tiny bit of normalcy
zennith23 June 2024
Admittedly I am not someone who has followed Celine's career closely. I appreciate her talent and showmanship. I, like I'm sure a lot of people are, wondering how she is doing so I went to see this movie. It was: interesting, exciting, heartfelt, sweet, sorrowful, raw, devastating, and yet in the end hopeful. I've never seen someone of her caliber be so transparent. She allowed the cameras to capture the good, bad and ugly of the stiff person syndrome. She is a fighter and wants desperately to get back to doing what she loves and to be in front of an audience again. I hope which ever way it goes she can find peace and a purpose in life whether she can perform on stage again or not. She is very real and has very little ego. She is appreciative of her gifts and all the people in her life. You can tell she isn't a diva. I thought they'd spend a little more time discussing the disease itself and the research being done, but they really focused only on her life, past and present, and how she is coping, and how she hopes to continue. There is a part of her that is bigger than life and you can tell she has grabbed hold of it and lived it 100%, leaving nothing on the table. It doesn't seem she knows any other way. I recommend this movie to anyone, whether you are a major fan or not.
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6/10
Worth a watch but.....
antide-4237627 June 2024
I have always thought that Celine Dion had the best voice of all of the divas. Mariah, Whitney, Adele, Celine had the best voice by a very long way. I am lucky enough to have seen her live a couple of times and she put on a great show. What has happened to her is incredibly sad, the fact that she just can't hit those notes the way she could is obviously torture for her.

Watching this documentary I found it sad of course but also a little bit awkward. She really did herself no favours by showing off all those clothes, all those shoes. What was the point in that? 'OK, I can't sing like I did bit I am still absolutely loaded'. Quite a bit of this seemed staged too and the no make up approach was blatantly done to make her look worse. I am completely sympathetic to her plight but surely the time has come for Celine to accept the situation and become a TV personality/presenter or something similar. We have the very many recordings of her terrific voice and she has had a magnificent career. This documentary, while upsetting at times, did drag on too much and even overdid the sympathy.
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1/10
You won't like my take, but it's the truth, please understand
livin_the_weekend8 July 2024
Warning: Spoilers
Firstly, I'm a male in my 30's and I'm writing this review at a time I have a 6-12 month life expectancy, with a 2-3% chance of living for another 2-3 years. I won't talk about me anymore, but I'm not in a good place let's just say that. Let's talk about Celine's health as that's all she seems to do for the whole time. This could've been something magical, inspiring and showing her optimism for dealing with her condition, after what is an extremely privileged life she's led with her magical voice and talent.

Celine has private nurses and physios come to her house daily for hours to go through a rehab and exercises, yet I had to wait months on end to just see someone to start the journey that led to my diagnosis. I wish I would get to live into my 60's and still potentially have a normal life expectancy, which Celine is still likely to have.

I totally understand how she could find it a little bit tough, but trust me, you could be walking in so much worse shoes than your own right now and you should stop feeling sorry for yourself and take life by two hands and enjoy the time you have with your children. Forget about the music now, if it's going to exacerbate things then leave it, focus on you, your family, and doing relaxing things. At least you have that opportunity unlike many others, like me, unfortunately. I'll still hold my head up and put my family first all the time, and better yet, I'll do it with a smile on my face hiding the pain and mental strain inside for the sake of them and wanting to live the rest of my days not feeling sorry for myself.

I hope nobody found this offensive, it's just my take, I don't expect everyone to understand. Thanks.
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10/10
Raw and emotional
gabeatucla25 June 2024
This film will tear your heart to pieces. A Celine in her truest form in Her daily life, struggling to survive and yearning to get back to entertaining her fans. This movie will give you hope and bring you to tears. I am truly heart broken to watch this film but it's so moving. I have seen Celine in many concerts but this is the most raw unedited Celine that you won't get to expiernce anywhere. Bravo to Celine for allowing the cameras into her home. We love your music and love you even more. I can't wait for you to get back on the stage and perform. Everyone must see this documentary, you won't regret it.
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9/10
Courage
PrinceCharmingHere29 June 2024
It's sad to see some of these negative reviews and some people's blatant jealousy and pettiness towards this woman's lifestyle. These reviewers don't realize that their reviews are more of a reflection of themselves than the thing they are reviewing. Celine lives in a mansion and has a very privileged life; you knew this going into the documentary. She's Celine Dion. Were you expecting her lifestyle to be relatable?

This is a raw documentary that focuses on her illness and her passion for music which is clearly displayed in this project. Would you be able to expose yourself the way she did: having a crippling seizure for the world to see, breaking down in tears because your career, your passion and very life is at risk of being destroyed? She worked hard for her wealth-30+ years. If she lived in a small townhouse and furnished her house with furniture from Target would that make you feel better? Sad, sad people.
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10/10
High emotional damage
celinechakrathok25 June 2024
Warning: Spoilers
I didn't expect to see the real situation when it happened to her. The scene was too strong and impact the emotional. Also it show the power of not giving up to the destiny. It is really a love letter to fan but for other you will be in touch of what happening to her.

I cried multiple times during the scene but it was heart breaking when I saw what exactly happened there. I would give 10/10 for her courage to show the world what she has really been through. We love you Celine. Hopefully you are getting well soon and we are always welcome you in any versions. Thank you for showing us and we are always here for you.
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10/10
What a woman!
rathnakumar25 June 2024
As a Céline fan, NOTHING about her in this documentary has surprised me. I've always known her to be this incredibly warm, down-to-Earth, kind, talented, generous, strong and giving human being. This wonderfully made documentary just went on to prove the same things without really trying to. I am: Celine Dion is a poignant film about what her life has been the past couple of years. "Critics" tend to dislike a hagiography, but it's quite difficult to capture Céline without naturally feeling a bit of reverence for her at the end of it, because that's how amazing she is as a human being. But Irene has definitely done justice to the material. This film feels like a love letter to not only her fans, who already know her to be an open book, but for also neutrals who, I bet, will come away from watching it having gained immense respect for Céline's spirit.
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Famous singer losing her voice.
TxMike26 June 2024
I was able to view this documentary today streaming on Prime. My own take may seem harsh to some but I believe what this shows is her narcissism. We see that from a very young age, in an interview she stated that she wanted to sing the rest of her life, but more important, to become a world-famous performer. As an adult she admits that being on stage, receiving applause from the audience, is like a drug addiction to her. She can hardly live without the approval and adulation of others, mostly strangers. That seems very narcissistic to me.

I find myself wondering what it is like to have only one goal, one obsession your whole life, forming your whole identity by how well you do that one thing, then start having difficulty doing it.

To me the most important part of this documentary starts at 1 hour 15 minutes into it. We are shown how it is now for her, to go into a recording studio to do one fairly straightforward song. Take after take, either her voice doesn't respond or when it does undesired vocal breaks enter randomly. Then the aftermath of that plus the rest of the presentation.

I have always had a mixed reaction to her singing. On the one hand, in her prime she had one of the best singing voices ever and it was always clear she loved what she was doing. But a comment she makes, that the song itself isn't so important, it is the way the singer sings it, and that explains why I strongly dislike so many of her songs. Too much vocal "gymnastics." Just because you can do fancy runs doesn't necessarily mean you should. Or at least not to the great extent that she does them in many songs. There is a fine line that separates welcome embellishment from unwanted extremes and she crosses it frequently.

I thoroughly enjoyed the documentary, I admit I had a tear in my eye when she was struggling so greatly and the doctors had to act fast to save her. Overall it is a sad tale, how the rare condition of stiff person syndrome (SPS) has wrecked her career. They seem to have hope it can be contained enough so that she can perform live again but it doesn't look very promising. Thanks to CDs and DVDs we never have to forget who she was and how she sounded.
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6/10
PSA for SPS
jknousak28 June 2024
Warning: Spoilers
I give Celine kudos for allowing the camera and sound to provide viewers with the many issues she has faced with SPS, especailly the contraction moment late in the doc. For that very-small population of people who acquire the disorder, I'm sure this documentary means a whole lot to them.

I didn't like the film though. It was slow and drawn out, and the "captures" of her onstage success moments were just that, moments (or seconds if you prefer) that seemed to reduce the 40+ years of her perfomances, the hundreds of concerts and her tremendous success to what seems to me a measly snapshot.

This being a year after filming, it was 18+ years ago when the first signs of the disorder were apparent to her and her husband. She's 56 now, so she was 37 or 38 when that first high-pitched voice occurred. And now she cries for the lies re: cancelled concerts and what seems like denial for many years considering her report of "one pill, then two pills, then another" to allow her to sing. There is no acceptance, at least none that I could discern.

Celine was given/blessed with such a great gift and then, cruelly, yes, it is lost to disease/disorder. Then . . . Move on with help -- PT but also talk therapy. Her mental and emotional health do not seem to have been . . . Taken care of over the years and certainly not during this filming. And at 56 years, she may have many more miles to go.
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9/10
A heartbreaking documentary based on Celine Dion
lisafordeay27 June 2024
Warning: Spoilers
I am Celine Dion is a 2024 Documentary that follows French Canadian Celine Dion who was diagnosed with Stiff Person Syndrome back in 2007.

Throughout the documentary we get to witness Celine and her struggles with the condition along with her twin boys and her son from her late husband Renè who died in 2016 from throat cancer.

We also get to see alot of old footage from her childhood and her music career.

A few things I learned throughout this documentary included the following.

She has 13 brothers and sisters.

She comes across as a kind emotional soul.

Her parents were very old when they had her.

Is a perfectionist as she hated one song that she did for a film last year called Love Again (which she also dubbed in French).

If your a massive fan of Celine Dion then this is the documentary for you. Hankies ready.
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7/10
A Disappointing Tribute to The Best Living Singer - Celine Dion
Andertes30 June 2024
As a big fan of Celine Dion, I eagerly sat down to watch this movie with two friends who, while not avid followers of the singer, enjoy some of her songs. Our expectations were high, setting the stage for potential disappointment.

The movie felt disjointed and lacked cohesive storytelling. It struggled to even fit the category of a documentary, resembling more of a vlog. The best parts were undoubtedly the concert footage of Celine, but the narrative as a whole was erratic. While Celine's personal storytelling was heartfelt, it wasn't well-supported by the accompanying footage. In fact, two interviews she did with American and Canadian media during the promotional campaign provided a far more insightful look into her life and battle with her illness.

We hoped the film would offer a thorough retrospective of Celine's career and her struggle with the disease. From the early signs of trouble to the worsening symptoms and eventual diagnosis, we wanted to see how these challenges impacted her life and career. Instead, the film focused on isolated moments of her suffering.

Towards the end, the movie did include a segment showing Celine working in the studio in her current state, along with footage of one of her spasm attacks. However, the buildup to this scene was weak, serving only to unsettle the audience rather than adding meaningful context to the narrative.

I understand the filmmakers' reluctance to delve deeply into the specifics of her diagnosis. The movie wasn't meant to be a medical exposé. However, it should have depicted Celine's journey of discovering the disease, the ensuing uncertainty, and its impact on her career.

I'm giving the movie an 7, largely out of my admiration for Celine. Objectively, it deserves a 5. I expected a film on par with "La Vie En Rose" or "Bohemian Rhapsody," but this film fell short of those standards.
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10/10
A MUST WATCH
mikalsaleem24 June 2024
Omg This documentary was so well done, you see Celine as they focus on how fragile life can be and how quickly life can change .

A mother , a singer , battling an illness , her strength , her fears , her hope .. all highlighted.

Having sold 250 million albums , losing her husband and parents all in a short time yet she still continued to perform until this disease stopped her entire career .

I had no idea stiff person syndrome was so bad , now because of Celine , this horrible disease is finally getting the attention and funding it needs to find a cure .

I always liked Celine but I now have total respect for her after this documentary.
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7/10
Should have been a miniseries instead...
groundzero-273-39711022 July 2024
I think this documentary felt a bit rushed. It would have been better with a miniseries instead. I would have liked to see more of Celine Dion herself, her life, her family, and most of all her disease, Stiff Person Syndrome, that changed her life and career. She is undoubtedly one of the best singers who ever lived, with many great and famous songs.

The documentary shows a stressful mix of both her successes and her illness. With a miniseries, they could have included everything and gone into more detail, which would have been even more powerful and emotional. In this documentary, Celine instead comes across as a bit narcissistic, which I don't know if she is because everything was so stressed. You got to see so little. However, you got to see a couple of her seizures, which was very painful and sad to see.
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5/10
I'm a big Celine fan
redheadchik5 July 2024
I really looked forward to seeing this show because I've been a Celine fan for many years. I think she has the best female voice in the world. I saw her live when she played Las Vegas. She was awesome. The documentary (or movie) jumps around too much for me. I would've liked it to focus more on her illness of Stiff Person Syndrome, and her family and personal life, than her past success and riches. I think the documentary makes her look narcissistic, and I've never thought of her that way. I think they could've made two documentaries- one about her fame and one about her illness instead of jumping back and forth. They go from showing her performing to jumping back to her illness. Back and forth. I'm struggling to keep watching - I have it paused. I have a neurological disease myself, and I struggle every day. It would've been better in my opinion to see a movie with the perspective of how she lives with the disease and what her treatment is. I think she is great, and I do feel sorry for her, but I'm not interested in her immense wealth or her show business career. I already know about that. I have her CDs and I've seen her live. I've listened to all her music through the years, and I didn't tune in to see her past glory. I'm not jealous as someone stated. I'm merely giving a review of what I thought of the documentary.
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