GLEN CAMPBELL: I’LL BE ME – The Review

“And it’s knowing I’m not shackled by forgotten words and bonds
and the ink stains that have dried upon some line, that keeps you in the backroads
by the rivers of my memory, that keeps you ever gentle on my mind.”

In 2011, legendary singer, songwriter and guitarist Glen Campbell was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. When he and his family made the brave decision to go public and raise awareness for the disease that affects nearly 5 million people in the US alone, Campbell turned to the treatment he knew best: performing his music. What followed was a year-long farewell tour that director James Keach decided to document in the just released GLEN CAMPBELL: I’LL BE ME, much to the delight of Glen’s fans all over the world.

On Friday, it was announced that Glen Campbell will be honored on November 4th with the lifetime achievement award at the 5th Annual Hollywood Music in Media Awards at the Fonda Theater in Hollywood.

Split between concert footage and interviews with Glen’s family, doctors and some famous friends (Bruce Springsteen, Bill Clinton, The Edge, and Keith Urban, just to name a few), GLEN CAMPBELL: I’LL BE ME is both uplifting and heartbreaking. In one particularly sad sequence, Campbell and wife Kim are watching old home movies of his children and other family members that he doesn’t recognize. He doesn’t even recognize his younger self.

But the uplifting moments seem to overpower the obvious difficult battle Campbell must face. At home, he gets lost in the large house, and has trouble remembering most things. But on tour when he steps on the stage to perform, it all disappears. Yes he forgets some lyrics and maybe the order of the songs, but Glen Campbell is a virtuoso on the guitar and his loyal lifelong fans couldn’t care less if he sings the same song twice. Even his doctors interviewed in the film have no explanation as to why the part of his brain that allows him to play the guitar so effortlessly. Backed by a band that includes 3 of Campbell’s children, the man and the songs are what they came for, from Carnegie Hall to the Hollywood Bowl.

Having made a splash at recent film festivals (Winner – Grand Jury Prize, Nashville Film Festival and Official Selection – AFI Docs), GLEN CAMPBELL: I’LL BE ME looks like it could be well on its way to an Oscar nomination for Documentary Feature. It is certainly a must-see for fans of Glen Campbell, and anyone that has dealt with Alzheimer’s, whether it be a parent, spouse, friend or relative.

Having retired now to a memory care facility in Nashville, Campbell remains upbeat and willing to face this new chapter of his life and career.

5 out of 5 stars

The film is in select theaters now; opens nationwide on October 31st.