Want more recommendations for your family?
Sign up for our weekly newsletter for entertainment inspiration
Lindsey Stirling: Brave Enough
By Barbara Shulgasser-Parker,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Pop violinist performs, shares her pain in candid docu.
A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Lindsey Stirling: Brave Enough
Community Reviews
Based on 1 parent review
Violin with passion
Report this review
What's the Story?
LINDSEY STIRLING: BRAVE ENOUGH follows the pop violinist and dancer on a tour directly following the death of Lindsey's best friend and collaborator Jason Gaviati. She tearfully shares her pain on camera and explains how she has overcome her fears and many moments of failure, including a dismissive assessment by Sharon Osbourne in the quarterfinal round of America's Got Talent. Those setbacks, she explains, have made her stronger and wiser and she wants to pass on her experience and knowledge to other strivers so they can succeed too. Many numbers from her show are shown as well.
Is It Any Good?
This documentary does a good job of showcasing the talents and charm of the buoyant and earnest electronic dance music violinist/dancer as she tours with her show and copes with loss and grief. Co-directed by reality TV producers Dan Cutforth and Jane Lipsitz, who also produced Katy Perry: Part of Me and Justin Bieber: Never Say Never, the movie demonstrates their experience in working with young artists on tour. Lindsey Stirling: Brave Enough follows the formula of the other movies, including home movies of the artists as children. Backstage preparations and rehearsals are mixed with Lindsey's confessional interviews in which she reveals her nearly paralyzing fear of not being good enough, her negative self image, and overcoming anorexia rooted in self-hatred. Fans will no doubt relish this candid look at the musician and enjoy hearing her heartfelt thoughts.
Although she seems to be a gifted and jubilant performer, for less dedicated appreciators it's possible that some of the songs and dance routines may feel a bit repetitive. Stirling is probably as good as any dancer who ever simultaneously played violin but there are only so many things a dancer's body can do when her arms are tied up bowing a fiddle.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the difficulty of losing someone close. Do you think that Stirling withstands the stress of a long tour partly in order to diminish the pain of losing her best friend and her worries about her sick father?
Lindsey Stirling talks about overcoming her fears that she wasn't good enough. What are you afraid of? How do you cope with your fear?
Do you think that each of us is afraid of something? Do you think that many people secretly work to conquer fear?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: May 17, 2017
- Directors: Dan Cutforth , Jane Lipsitz
- Studio: YouTubeRed
- Genre: Documentary
- Character Strengths: Perseverance
- Run time: 75 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: July 2, 2022
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
Where to Watch
Our Editors Recommend
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.
See how we rate