By John Corrado

Elton John: Never Too Late, the new music documentary that premiered at TIFF and is now being released on Disney Plus, follows the British rockstar on his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour.

Co-directed by R.J. Cutler and David Furnish, the film counts down to his final concert in North America at Dodger Stadium (which was also broadcast on Disney Plus), where it all began for him back in 1975 with two legendary performances at the height of his fame.

It’s a somewhat bittersweet homecoming, that allows Elton John to reminisce about his first performances on American soil at the Troubadour in Los Angeles fifty years ago as he looks back over his career. The performer has certainly lived a storied life, and is in a reflective mood throughout the film.

Elton John talks openly about his longtime friendship and collaboration with songwriter Bernie Taupin, as well as his toxic relationship with former manager John Reed that fuelled his struggles with drugs and alcohol. In one of the most enjoyable interludes, Elton John reflects on his cocaine-fuelled friendship with John Lennon, which could provide the basis for its own movie, including bringing Lennon on-stage at Madison Square Garden in what became the ex-Beatle’s last public performance.

Also enjoyable is the footage of Elton John overseeing remixes in the studio, showing a deep technical understanding of the music he creates. Because Furnish is Elton John’s husband, Never Too Late feels like an especially personal project, capturing some candid moments including with their two sons. The image of Elton John now, finally, as family man and doting dad is especially poignant after hearing him talk so much experiencing a meteoric rise to fame while dealing with feelings of emptiness. It’s why he decided to retire from touring, to embrace whatever time he has left with his two boys.

The Elton John story has already been told multiple times (including being dramatized in the excellent 2019 biopic Rocketman), and Never Too Late doesn’t really break from standard music documentary conventions. In fact, the film almost embraces them. But it does give us intimate access at times, and is clearly made with a great deal of love. It’s a worthwhile and enjoyable watch for fans.

Film Rating: ★★★ (out of 4)

Elton John: Never Too Late will be available to stream exclusively on Disney+ as of December 13th.