Madonna: Truth or Dare (1991)
**** (out of 4)
Madonna's "Blonde Ambition" tour is followed in this documentary, which gives fans a behind-the-scenes look at the star and the tour.
Even if you're not a fan of Madonna, it's pretty hard not to really enjoy this documentary on a number of levels but the biggest thing is that it really is extremely well-made. Director Alek Keshishian has really created a rather unique and original look at an artist doing their thing while trying to hold everything together.
Many people have accused this film as being fake or saying that Madonna was acting up in front of the camera. This has been happening since Bob Dylan's DON'T LOOK BACK and it has happened countless times since this film was originally released. I think what makes DON'T LOOK BACK and MADONNA: TRUTH OR DARE so terrific is the fact that the two artists know how to play the camera and they both did it perfectly.
There's a lot of stuff going on here and the film really did a terrific job at showing you how chaotic life on the road can be. We see the tour through Japan, the United States, Canada and Europe and we see as Madonna struggles at times with relationships, her strength and having to face other demons. The documentary does a terrific job at showing what type of physical demand Madonna had on her night after night and the backstage access was just really fun and interesting.
Madonna's relationship with Warren Beatty is on display here and we see other celebrities including Kevin Costner, Al Pacino and Antonio Bandera. The film and Madonna have a lot to say about the celebrity worship and everything that comes along with it. Other great moments include a concert in Toronto where the police show up threatening to arrest the singer as well as another moment where she meets with her father after a hometown gig.
MADONNA: TRUTH OR DARE is also beautifully shot and I loved the director's decision to show the backstage stuff in B&W and keeping the concert footage in color.
