Glen Campbell: I'll Be Me (2014)

 

Glen Campbell: I’ll Be Me charts the farewell tour of the country music legend after his announcement that he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. The tour, which is in support of his final album, Ghost on the Canvas, begins at the Nokia Theater (now the Microsoft Theater) in Los Angeles and ends 150 shows later in Napa. We are given glimpses of several different stops along the way, primarily so that we can witness how his disease begins to affect his ability to perform, the one thing in his life that still seems to give him some focus and a sense of purpose. He seems to be a different person on stage, and it is especially heartbreaking to watch his decline there. As the tour progresses, he becomes less and less able to remember the lyrics to even his most famous songs without the help of a teleprompter, and he’s unable at times to recall the names of some of his bandmates, which is all the sadder because most of them are members of his family. In addition to selected moments from the tour, the documentary also presents a few television appearances such as on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and the Grammy Awards where Campbell receives a lifetime achievement honor as well as interviews with famous people who have also had members of their families diagnosed with Alzheimer’s: Vince Gill, Sheryl Crow, the Edge from U2, Bruce Springsteen, and former President Bill Clinton. Interspersed throughout the film are clips from the height of his career (the late 1960s and 1970s) that only serve to emphasize how much his condition has deteriorated. Two thoughts linger after viewing this emotional film. One is how remarkable it is that Campbell has maintained his sense of humor. Of course, there are moments of anger and frustration when he can’t recall important details or when he’s forgotten what he’s just done, but for the most part, he is always cracking jokes and laughing.  The other is just how dedicated his wife is to ensuring that he is taken care of. The film is truly a testament to her love for and dedication to him. She is so much a part of his life and of this documentary, and it is particularly sad to watch her having to witness the progress of his disease. The film’s only nomination came for one of its songs, the final song, in fact, which is a bittersweet coda to the film and its message of resilience in the face of a debilitating illness.

Oscar Nomination: Best Original Song (“I’m Not Gonna Miss You”)