In 2016, shortly before his death at the age of 53, singer, songwriter, and record producer, George Michael was working on a documentary movie. The film – titled Freedom – focused on his professional career in the music industry.
Although George Michael didn’t get to see the movie released to the public, the autobiographical film made its debut in 2017. Directed by George Michael and David Austin, Freedom provided an honest and open account of the singer’s life, touching upon the highs and lows of being in the spotlight.
This summer, Freedom was given a theatrical re-release in selected cinemas, under the title of Freedom: Uncut. This newer edition of the movie, contained around 18 minutes of additional footage, to extend the docu-film here and there.
For those who didn’t catch Freedom the first time around, and who didn’t make it to cinemas earlier this year, Freedom: Uncut is now available to stream on all major video-on-demand platforms. The film clocks in at around 113-minutes, features footage and videos of various George Michael songs and performances, and is a must-see for anyone who adored the singer.
Featuring narration from George Michael himself, alongside archive material, and input from various peers and star names (Elton John, Liam Gallagher, Mary J. Blige, Stevie Wonder, etc), Freedom: Uncut is a fascinating and captivating look back at the life of one of the most talented artists of all-time. The film provides an account of George Michael’s story, detailing his early successes as a member of pop group, Wham!, through to his time as a solo singer.
The film covers all the major milestones in George Michael’s journey, from his Top of the Pops performances and his awards success, to his highly publicised fallout with Sony, and the subsequent court case that followed. Freedom: Uncut also discusses the events that led to George Michael coming out to the world as gay, and the way he later lampooned himself to take ownership of some of the media stories that circled his career.
With the film looking to get to the heart of the artist, Freedom: Uncut also peels back the layers to discuss some of the tragedies in George Michael’s life, including the death of his partner, which he initially kept a secret from the media and from his family, as well as the passing of his mother. In his own words, the singer explains how these deaths effected his life and musical career, and how they continued to impact his journey for years to come.
Always interesting, at times moving, and ultimately rather poignant, Freedom: Uncut is a beautiful and touching documentary which demonstrates the passion, creativity, and sheer talent that George Michael brought to the industry. The film features some incredible pieces of music and is a reminder of just how much the singer is missed.
Does Freedom: Uncut dive as deep as it could when discussing some of George Michael’s inner demons? Probably not – however, with the singer passing away during production, it is difficult to say whether more content would have been added to flesh things out a little and offer an even richer text.
However, as it stands, this is arguably the most open and honest George Michael documentary fans are ever likely to see, and more importantly, it is a fine piece of film. Whether you’re a long-time fan or you simply appreciated some of his music, George Michael – Freedom: Uncut is well worth your time.
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