4/5
The Bitch Is Late
103 Mins. Starring: Elton John, Bernie Taupin, Dua Lipa & John Lennon. Directors: R.J. Cutler & David Furnish. On: Disney +.
In the same week that 'Rocketman' Taron Edgerton gives us some 'Carry-On' for Netflix (with no sign of Sid James), Sir Elton John unpacks his long, winding road tour bag, as he continues to say 'Farewell Yellow Brick Road' on streaming services. Following his live look at his last, bejewelled swing in Shohei's house ('Elton John Live: Farewell From Dodger Stadium'), Disney Plus give us their new Elton John documentary 'Never Too Late', in conjunction with and leading up to that showstopper. The final frames playing out the same in this special directed by good friend R.J. Cutler in interview and husband David Furnish. Reminding us why the bitch won't be back. Giving it all up for the greater good of what really matters. When you see Reg interact with his children on Facetime, reaching to call your own, you'll understand. When you see his radio show with Furnish (feeling strange about today's use of the word "queer") give a stage to kids bands coming up and of age, you'll fall in love with this Sir, all over again.
This Billy Joel besting piano man can rival all the Disney documentaries touring their way through your watchlists right now. The 'Thank You, Goodnight' Bon Jovi story miniseries. Fellow Jersey boy Bruce Springsteen and his E Street Band's 'Road Diary'. 'Never Too Late', stepping in, right before Christmas, is the perfect accompaniment to the big-three of his live movie, the 'Rocketman' biopic, and the 'ME' autobiography, also Audiobook read to us by his MARV 'Kingsman' sequel co-star Eggsy, Egerton. Just like when John broke America like Beatlemania, after taking the Troubadour (captured compellingly in cinema), with five albums in the chart in one calendar (what a time to really be alive), 'Never Too Late' even rivals the new Martin Scorsese produced 'Beatles '64' doc on Disney. 'Too Late' also takes us deeper into Elton's working relationship and wonderful friendship with the late, great John Lennon. Taking the stage with the other dear John for what ended up being his last time in concert.
Animated, like many of this movie's artistic and beautiful way of telling backstory, Elton John Lennon get up to plenty of mischief as these pop stars recall a time pop artist Andy Warhol and that camera he carried everywhere came knocking at their hotel door. This year's Glastonbury headliner Dua Lipa also shows up in this show, as the two duet over the Elton mash-up of 'Cold Heart' interspersed with 'Rocket Man'. This long, long time, gives it up for the real co-star of this show, however, in songwriter Bernie Taupin. The man he loved more than love itself (nothing sexual), as the songwriting pair matched-up to Lennon and McCartney, lyric line for lyric line. Like '64', 'Never Too Late' looks at the time Reg Dwight came to America like Neil Diamond. Detailing his success, but also the sobering story of his descent into drugs. Not to mention how the rockets red's glare reacted to him coming out. And you thought America's resistance to the "long hair" of the Fab Four was bad. This Walt Disney and Rocket Entertainment epic, that made its debut at the Toronto Film Festival in September, is never one to miss. 'Goodbye Yellow Brick Road: The Final Elton John Performances and the Years That Made His Legend' may have been too long a title, but don't be too late for this. TIM DAVID HARVEY.
Further Playing: 'Elton John Live: Farewell From Dodger Stadium', 'Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band', 'Beatles '64'.
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