The Big Picture

I Am: Celine Dion
is not a typical music doc, focusing on her battle with Stiff Person Syndrome.
Director Irene Taylor highlights Dion’s journey post-diagnosis, revealing her vulnerability.
The documentary showcases Dion’s determination to overcome SPS, offering intimate and raw insight.

The voice of a generation, Celine Dion has graced the music and film industries in equal measure, singing award-winning ballads like Titanic’s theme song “My Heart Will Go On” and “The Power of Love.” With a career that spans over four decades, Dion’s greatest wish has always been to sing on stage for millions of people. Yet her present-day circumstances have led her to abstain from her life’s main conductor: her vocals. I Am: Celine Dion follows the musician after she begins treatment for SPS (Stiff Person Syndrome), a rare condition that causes muscle stiffness and painful spasms that can even affect one’s ability to walk. Despite her diagnosis preventing her from performing or belting out, the artist holds onto the hope of overcoming this roadblock and touring again. This documentary pulls the curtain back on Dion in her most vulnerable state and makes an unfiltered portrait.

‘I Am: Celine Dion’ Is Not a Music Doc, But a Doc About a Music Icon

This Prime Video original, directed by Oscar-winner Irene Taylor, doesn’t settle for the usual format of a music documentary. Instead of offering a linear breakdown of the artist’s journey from humbler beginnings to achieving megastardom, it presents archival footage of Dion throughout the years to showcase the level of grandeur that she upholds and the dire turn posed by her neurological disorder. Fans who are used to seeing her in full glitz and glam are now getting to witness the musician replace Jimmy Choo heels with the coziest pair of socks that she can find in her drawer. Fresh-faced and in the comfort of her own home, she makes the audience her guests, inviting them to see a side of her that was very much guarded from the public eye.

The documentary offers occasional trips down memory lane, from Dion and her 13 siblings enjoying winter in Montreal during her childhood to her and husband/manager Réne Angélil taking care of their three sons while they were still toddlers, but it is clear that the film’s focus is on her current battle with SPS. No longer putting on a show, Dion occupies her time with rehabilitation exercises, regular check-ups, and side projects (the most recent one being her participation in the 2023 rom-com Love Again).

Director Irene Taylor Calls the Shots, But It Is Dion That Commands the Story

Although Taylor is the person behind the camera calling the shots, boldly zooming in on the subject even in moments that feel too invasive to record, the artist takes full ownership of her story. Through her perspective alone, without loved ones chiming in to share their thoughts and feelings, the film bounces between the before and the after. Whenever an old video of Dion pops up on the screen, showing her effortlessly hitting the right notes to tracks like “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now,” it is usually followed up by footage of the icon in the present, breaking out in song and struggling to keep her voice from cracking. Seeing her primary instrument miss the mark is gut-wrenching and unfair, especially for someone who has always been very professional about her craft. The musician even jokes that she envies rock stars with raspy vocals from all the drinking and smoking, because she has always been very meticulous about hydrating herself and getting proper sleep in order to keep her performance intact.

The artist also took advantage of this opportunity to come clean about the lead-up to her hiatus, sharing that she had already been experiencing symptoms for 17 years before she was properly diagnosed. Her greatest hurdle was having to cancel a show that people paid to attend, oftentimes resorting to taking pills and high dosages of Valium when there were signs of pain or vocal distress even before she went out onstage. As someone who strives for perfection, it was hard for the singer to lie to fans about having a cold, when in reality she was going through something far worse. Only in late 2022 did she make an announcement about her exit from the spotlight through a video that she shared on social media (which is also shown in the doc).

Although the decision to have Dion helming the documentary makes it an intimate viewing, especially when she dives into memories of concerts and epic fashion looks, it also restricts the film from having the insight of staff that are playing a major role in her treatment. Despite them working with her on a daily basis on her path to recovery, there are only a few instances where a physician explains the medical implications of her disorder while talking to her. The project would’ve become even more purposeful with their input, given that the condition isn’t as well-known.

‘I Am: Celine Dion’ Is a Raw Portrait
Image via Amazon MGM Studios

Still, I Am: Celine Dion is a piercing portrayal that doesn’t shy away from making audiences feel like a fly on the wall. Later on in the film, viewers witness Dion ecstatically leaving the studio after recording a new song when she is surprised by a spasm in her foot. In a matter of minutes, the spasm takes over her entire body, which leaves her motionless and in utter agony. With the help of the people around her, the artist is able to regain her composure and, instead of tearing up, she decides to break out in song, not letting her health get in the way of her going back to being the fearless and captivating performer that she once was. Dion’s determination is palpable, with her even saying, “If I can’t run, I’ll walk. If I don’t walk, I’ll crawl,” when referring to her touring prospects for the future.

A documentary that is raw and powered by a beloved artist, Taylor’s film isn’t a lighthearted watch (although it does make the audience laugh here and there in between an ugly cry) but it is captivating from start to finish. By weaving in old footage with present-day shots, it far exceeds expectations in terms of formatting and structure attributed to music docs. It also benefits from Dion being fully committed to exposing her vulnerability and inviting fans to see past the glamour. Although additional perspectives from staff would’ve benefited the end product to a further extent, I Am: Celine Dion does its title justice, giving its main subject a platform to shine despite her circumstances.

Review I Am: Celine Dion (2024) ‘I Am: Celine Dion’ is a captivating documentary about an artist fighting for her recovery.ProsIt doesn’t follow the traditional layout of a music documentary.Irene Taylor invests in close-ups that allow Dion to be the focus of her own narrative.The documentary allows for viewers to connect with the singer as she battles a rare diagnosis. ConsThe film would’ve been even more purposeful with more insights from doctors working closely with Dion.

I Am: Celine Dion is now available to stream on Prime Video in the U.S.

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