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Beyonce: Life Is But a Dream
Common Sense says
- NR
- 2013
- 88 minutes
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A lot or a little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that Beyonce: Life Is But a Dream is a self-produced documentary about singer Beyonce Knowles whose main areas of concern are edgy language (including "f--k" and "s--t") and mature themes, like pregnancy and relationships. Occasionally cigarette smoking and wine drinking is visible. A silhouette of Knowles' naked, pregnant boy is visible without any private parts in detail; concert footage features some sexy dancing and skin-revealing outfits, too.
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What's the story?
BEYONCE: LIFE IS BUT A DREAM is a documentary produced by and featuring singer Beyonce Knowles as she continues her music career. Viewers get to follow the artist soon after her controversial decision to end her professional relationship with her father, who up until then was responsible for managing her career since she performed as a member of the group, Destiny's Child. With the help of interview excerpts, video diary entries, backstage film footage, and some home video, she shares her thoughts about learning how to be her own manager, as well as the challenges she faces as both an artist and a woman in the current music industry. The unexpected news of her pregnancy also motivates her to share her feelings about being pregnant and later, motherhood. Throughout it all, extensive concert performance sequences are featured.
Is it any good?
Beyonce fans will definitely be drawn to this, but those who know little about her or her work may also be pleasantly surprised by what they see here. Like most celebrity-focused documentaries of this kind, Life Is But a Dream offers a chance to see a little of what Beyonce's life is like when she's not performing. It showcases the intense work that she puts in to recording music, dance rehearsals, and entertaining audiences. It also underscores how she is constantly challenged by her desire to juggle the demands of the industry with her private needs.
Despite the personal journey that it attempts to document, the actual amount of time it spends showcasing the singer's personal life, including time spent with her her husband, Jay-Z, and their daughter, Blue Ivy, is quite limited. Meanwhile, the singer approaches conversations about difficult relationships and other issues with grace and respect.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about why celebrities agree to be featured in (or produce their own) documentaries about themselves. Why do you think Beyonce decided to create this doc, despite the fact that she heavily guards her privacy? Is it an effort to control the way the media talks about her? An exercise in self-promotion? Or are there other reasons?
What is the difference between a documentary and a reality TV show? What are the similiarities? At what point are the lines blurred between the two?
Movie details
- On DVD or streaming: November 26, 2013
- Cast: Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Kelly Rowland
- Director: Ed Burke
- Studio: Columbia Pictures
- Genre: Documentary
- Topics: Music and Sing-Along
- Run time: 88 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
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Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.