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Film Review: Netflix’s Barbra… (2017)

Director: Jim Gable and Barbra Streisand

Rating: 5/5

This documentary on the work of Barbra Streisand fully entitled Barbra: The Music…The Mem’ries…The Magic! is a Netflix original and Barbra co-directed and co-produced the film. Nevertheless, this was a Netflix concert specially made to celebrate her career and rich life, and it is worth watching also because Barbra said she will never do a tour again as it is too exhausting (see here).

The film is beautifully made because it does not just narrate her career and has her talk to the camera like a majority of autobiographical documentaries. On the contrary, this film has Barbra narrating her life at the concert and we get to hear that along with some of her beautiful music. The songs are played in full and thus there is no annoyance when a favourite song is interrupted half-way through.

While watching this film I felt as if I was there at the concert and in a coffee shop with Barbra chatting about her life, all at the same time. Like the title says, the way this film made me feel also felt like magic.

What was particularly wonderful was Barbra’s strong emphasis on women’s equality, equality of all people in general, and her peace messages. This was not just said but it was also beautifully expressed on the screen behind her at the concert. Nevertheless, Barbra has taken us through the journey of her life by telling us which songs she sang, and at what kind of time. Thus, she showed as protests that she supported, the crazy 70s and all decades of her life. But, this historical information was supplemented with new information so when talking about women’s rights we see issue back in the past and issues that are happening today, thus reminding us that the struggle is far from finished.

A very inspiring and well-made film. Netflix once again doing the right thing and promoting equality. Love it!

Thank you for reading.

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