Elton John: Never Too Late

It has been quite a few years for Elton John, from returning to pole position in the charts for the first time since 2005 with his collaboration with Dua Lipa on Cold Heart to performing his final ever UK show with the much-lauded Glastonbury set last year as part of his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour. It has also, to put it mildly, been quite a few years for the streaming giant Disney+ who have released a slew of megastar-driven music documentaries from The Beatles: Get Back, Summer of Soul and Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour and now, again, with Elton John: Never Too Late, – an all-access documentary that provides a colourful overview of the life of one of pop’s greatest stars but never quite manages to ground the “Rocketman”.

The film opens with John in discussion with journalist and friend Alexis Petredis who, having worked with the singer as his ghostwriter for the pop-megastars autobiography Me, recorded a series of tapes of his discussions with him. These tapes become the catalyst for much of the film that sees John take us through his career from early beginnings to eventual finish: from his childhood years at home listening to musical pioneer Winifred Atwell to his final US tour at the Dodger’s stadium in Los Angeles. This is predominantly told through archival footage, flitting newspaper clippings and, where there blanks to be filled, the film directorial pairing of RJ Cutler and David Furnish (the latter being John’s real-life husband) opt to colour John’s anecdotes with a vibrant, “hand-drawn” animation reminiscent of the day-time cartoons of the 70s.

It’s undoubtedly a flashy depiction of the popstar, and for those interested in the hit singles and the raucous live performances, these are provided aplenty. The film is choc-full of snippets of John’s famous crowd work, behind-the-scenes studio footage and plenty of jaw-dropping celebrity stories. A particular highlight involves John Lennon, Andy Warhol and a debaucherous night in a New York hotel room. The film however struggles with an identity crisis as it can’t quite decide whether it should be a behind-the-scenes look at John’s preparation for his final US performance, as the reminder that we are coming within “five months before the Dodgers show” is interspersed throughout with impending finality, or a chaptered overview of the career highs-and-lows of a generational superstar. Cutler and Furnish here attempt both, the result being a documentary that never fully realises either ambition.

That’s not to say there isn’t enough material and, whilst the feature doesn’t exactly shy away from the harsher themes, there are only ever brisk examinations on the troubled relationships, brushes with death, and the challenges of his childhood. These topics never quite manage to get the attention they warrant, despite the fact that the filmmakers are equipped with an unprecedented level of access to the pop icon. There are occasional moments of authenticity that begin to scratch the surface, from scenes of familial intimacy with his children to the explorations of friendships he made along the way, particularly with his pivotal songwriting partner Bernie Taupin. A truly engaging moment in the opening minutes of the movie sees John backstage, preparing to enter stage, discussing musical theory with his teenage nephew who is clearly in as much awe of his uncle than any fan would be. It’s a brilliant but fleeting dynamic that shows John lowering his guard in front of the camera to share a brief but sincere moment of tenderness with a musically-minded teenager.

Despite its faults, Elton John: Never Too Late is a heartwarming run-through of some the artist’s biggest moments that, with themes of family at its heart, sees the pop legend pay homage to his musical influences and reminisce on a storied career.

Ronan Fawsitt

Elton John: Never Too Late is on Disney+ on 13^th December 2024.

Watch the trailer for Elton John: Never Too Late here: