George Michael: Freedom

This documentary isn't just for fans of George Michael. This is an insightful look at an extraordinary artist. Over 95 minutes, George primarily focuses on the time from his release of Listen Without Prejudice through his much publicized court case with Sony in the early to mid 1990's. Especially for any fans in the U.S., you will learn why it seemed George Michael may have disappeared from the music scene.

The Voice of my generation, in my opinion. He made so much music that will play on for many years to come. Still, I feel sad that he won't be here to create any more. His evolution into becoming himself took his whole life and was documented perfectly in his songs.

Damn, he really knew how to craft some perfect pop songs though!

It's very sad to watch the documentary "George Michael: Freedom" knowing that he left this world when he was finishing this work. Michael passed away on December 25, 2016, at the age of 53. This documentary seems like a testament letter about his life. The accelerating career success and pressure from the media was the abyss to his demise, exactly like Michael Jackson, Amy Winehouse, Witney Houston, and Prince. The quick voyage of their lives between us was simply to gift us with each one's voice and talent. George Michael was no different, only after winning the much-desired public recognition did he realize that he was not happy. And when he discovers the happiness of love, "...Heaven sent And Heaven Stole You smiled at me...". We and the media didn't allow them to live in peace as an artist. We created, idolized, and at the same time silenced these voices. I am so...so...sorry for that, Michael!!!

I saw George Michael in concert in 2007 and I think the experience in some ways might really summed his life up. It was an open air concert in the summer but it rained almost all night. George came on sang for what seemed like 45 minutes and then went off for a 20 minutes break, probably for a cup of tea and a snort of some illegal substance. He then did his second act for about 20 minutes and it was on to the encore.

When you have seen Bruce Springsteen live, pelting it out for 3 and half hours non stop then George was a disappointment by comparison. Then again I did not go to see for myself but my wife is a big George Michael/Wham fan. She was not a happy bunny on Christmas Day 2016. At least I took her to see him live in concert.

This documentary co-directed by George himself was a comprehensive look back on his career. A career that promised much as he and Andrew Ridgely quickly made it big with Wham. In 1988 he was the biggest selling rock star in the world and he sustained this throughout the 90s but by the start of the new millennium it quickly fizzled out as his private life was in turmoil and frankly his voice started to go as he started to sing songs through a vocoder (just listen to his version of True Faith.)

George talks about his highs and lows, his love life and his short lived happiness before his partner died of AIDS and later his mother died of cancer. Then his public falling out with Sony records as he did not want to promote his albums the want his record company wanted him to.

Some of the contributors were a bit disappointing. I can understand Elton John being there but they also had a falling out and I wanted to hear about that. There was no Andrew Ridgely which was a glaring omission but plenty of Tracey Emin which I found mind boggling.

'Freedom' is a documentary about Geroge Michael's life mostly put together by the singer himself before his untimely death last year. And it was an interesting life, that of a Watford schoolboy who became a global pop star, a legal warrior fighting his record company, and a gay man who finally embraced his sexual identity. Unfortunately, this film is not particularly interesting: Michael was a private man, and the story as told doesn't feel particularly personal. Nor is there a great discussion of the music, beyond the obligatory parade of talking heads who gush but offer no insight. The main thing that comes across is Michael's professional self-belief and ambition; though he talked of slavery in his battle with Sony, we get the sense less of a free spirit unable to work with the man, and more of someone angry he was not getting the respect he considered his talent deserved. I'd have liked to know more about the real George Michael; but here I felt I saw only what Michael wanted to be seen.