Amazing Grace (2019)
90%RT Audience Score: 80%
Awards & Nominations: 3 wins & 6 nominations
Brilliantly capturing a remarkable performer near the peak of her prodigious power, Amazing Grace is a thrilling must-watch documentary for Aretha Franklin fans.
Amazing Grace” is the ultimate tribute to the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin. This long-buried concert film is a musical feast that feels like it was filmed only yesterday. With Franklin’s powerhouse three-octave range and soulful phrasing, the documentary is 87 minutes of pure joy. It’s a perfect marriage of faith and showbiz, dignified by the fact that there’s nothing ersatz about it. The film is a tremendous tribute to Franklin and a document recorded during a watershed period of the American civil rights movement. It’s definitely worth the wait and then some!
Production Company(ies)
Distributor
NA
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, England, UK
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG for thematic material involving slavery, and some mild language
Year of Release
2007
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:SDDS Dolby Digital DTS
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Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
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Runtime:NA
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Language(s):English
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Nov 23, 2018 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 6, 2019
Genre(s)
Documentary/Music
Keyword(s)
Amazing Grace, Aretha Franklin, gospel, documentary, music, Alan Elliott, Joe Boyd, Rob Johnson, Chiemi Karasawa, Sabrina V Owens, Jerry Wexler, Tirrell D Whittley, Joseph Woolf, G, English, Nov 23 2018, $4.5M, 1h 27m, Andrea Gronvall, Adam Graham, David Stratton, Owen Gleiberman, Sandra Hall, Nell Minow, Tom O’Brien, Nick Levine, Nick Reilly, Alix Turner, Dennis Harvey, Matt Cipolla, 99%, 161 Reviews, 80%, 250+ Ratings, concert film, civil rights movement, three-octave range, soulful phrasing, musical feast, unfeigned exuberance, expressions of belief, familial intimacy, Queen of Soul, biggest selling gospel album, reconstructed, 89-minute film, featured audience reviews, horror movies, MCU movies, renewed & cancelled TV shows, Netflix series, Fandango
Worldwide gross: $32,120,360
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $46,014,597
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,376
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 5,017,949
US/Canada gross: $21,250,683
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $30,443,046
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,270
US/Canada opening weekend: $4,305,000
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $6,167,205
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,060
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Alan Elliott – Director
Joey Carey – Executive Producer
Alexandra Johnes – Executive Producer
Stefan Nowicki – Executive Producer
Joe Boyd – Producer
Director(s)
Alan Elliott
Writer(s)
NA
Producer(s)
Joe Boyd, Alan Elliott, Aretha Franklin, Rob Johnson, Chiemi Karasawa, Sabrina V. Owens, Jerry Wexler, Tirrell D. Whittley, Joseph Woolf
Film Festivals
Berlin, South by Southwest, Telluride, Toronto
Awards & Nominations
3 wins & 6 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (161) | Top Critics (48) | Fresh (160) | Rotten (1)
The work as it stands now has considerable merit as a document recorded during a watershed period of the American civil rights movement. As a concert film, it’s elevated by Franklin’s powerhouse three-octave range and soulful phrasing.
December 16, 2019
Andrea Gronvall
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
The long-buried concert film is a tremendously powerful tribute to Aretha Franklin.
December 16, 2019
Adam Graham
Detroit News
TOP CRITIC
This musical feast was filmed a very long time ago – but it feels like only yesterday.
December 16, 2019 | Rating: 4/5
David Stratton
The Australian
TOP CRITIC
In Amazing Grace, Aretha Franklin transcends the blues by saying a little prayer – or singing one – for all of us.
December 16, 2019
Owen Gleiberman
Variety
TOP CRITIC
It’s a perfect marriage of faith and showbiz, dignified by the fact that there’s nothing ersatz about it. At its heart is an unfeigned exuberance, together with a sense of history, which informs the tears, laughter and fervent expressions of belief.
August 28, 2019 | Rating: 4/5
Sandra Hall
Sydney Morning Herald
TOP CRITIC
87 minutes of pure joy/
August 5, 2019 | Rating: A-
Nell Minow
Movie Mom
TOP CRITIC
It took 47 years to reach theaters, but the documentary “Amazing Grace” is sheer musical bliss.
June 14, 2022 | Rating: 8/10
Tom O’Brien
Next Best Picture
Moments of familial intimacy that allow us to instantly forget that we’re watching one of the greatest singers of all time…
May 11, 2021
Nick Levine
NME
The ultimate tribute to the Queen of Soul.
April 29, 2021 | Rating: 5/5
Nick Reilly
NME
The making of the biggest selling gospel album ever, reconstructed into an 89-minute film many years later. A great listen, a fascinating watch, though not entirely successful.
February 9, 2021 | Rating: 3/5
Alix Turner
Ready Steady Cut
So, was it worth the wait? But of course, and then some.
October 21, 2020
Dennis Harvey
48 Hills
Elliott and Buchanan follow [Franklin’s] lead instead, framing the footage with a deft, almost invisible hand to make for 87 minutes that are teeming with life.
July 27, 2020 | Rating: 4/5
Matt Cipolla
Film Monthly…
Plot
In 1797, William Wilberforce (Ioan Gruffudd), the great crusader for the British abolition of slavery, is taking a vacation for his health even while he is sicker at heart for his frustrated cause. However, meeting the charming Barbara Spooner (Romola Garai), Wilberforce finds a soulmate to share the story of his struggle. With few allies such as his mentor, John Newton (Albert Finney), a slave ship Captain turned repentant Priest who penned the hymn, “Amazing Grace”, future Prime Minister William Pitt (Benedict Cumberbatch), and Olaudah Equiano (Youssou N’Dour), the erudite former slave turned author, Wilberforce fruitlessly fights public indifference and moneyed opposition determined to keep their exploitation safe. Nevertheless, Wilberforce finds the inspiration in newfound love to rejuvenate the fight with new ideas that would lead to a great victory for social justice.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Aretha Franklin is the only cast member in the documentary Amazing Grace.
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