This is the second documentary I've watched about the music business within the last week. I was really looking forward to seeing it, but by the time it ended I was so glad that it was finally over.This film seems like nothing more than a promotion for the handful of singers who are featured - apparently the people who made the movie felt that these women (and one or two men) were the only background singers of note. Add to that the fact that almost without exception, these singers wanted (or want) to be front and center and the doc feels like a marketing tool. It became incredibly tiresome after a while. Don't get me wrong - these women can "sang" (often better than the people they are backing) and I can appreciate and respect the amount of talent they have. They added so much to the songs they did vocals on and the songs wouldn't have the same without what they contributed. I found, though, that I burnt out quickly on the "poor, poor pitiful me" undertone and the whining about "I should have been a huge star" or "I got screwed". I would have thought that these folks would have been grateful for the opportunities they had - making money doing something they love, doing it exceedingly well, having a job that many people would sell their souls to do and being in the successful elite who were lucky enough to make it in an exceeding tough and competitive business.Finally, if you consider that apparently the doc isn't entirely truthful (see other reviews for information on that), the film really isn't worth a watch.Maybe if I had watched "TWENTY FEET" first instead of "THE WRECKING CREW" (which I loved), I wouldn't feel like I'd just watched a very long and desperate promo reel.

As a professional musician myself, it was particularly wonderful to see these marvelous singers and entertainers finally getting their full due in a film all their own. So often, singers with far less talent get the spotlight, with these incredibly brilliant voices so often left behind, or worse still, never given the credit their stellar talent truly deserves. This film, happily, fills that void. You could say the same of great actors. Only a handful of them get the attention, while so many others, often more talented, have to make due with being the perpetual "second fiddle." That said, I also noticed that the one thing that often separates great background singers from great soloists is something I simply call, "charisma," that hard to describe, magnetic, magical quality that makes someone able to take that spotlight, and fill it. Although there are those who have made successful careers largely built upon physical looks alone, this singular characteristic is the one that separates the stars from the "also-rans," in my opinion. But in any regard, this film never fails to capture this elusive quality, while still giving these amazing talents the accolades that they've so rightfully earned. Well worth watching.

This is a documentary revolving around several back up singers and their struggles in the music business and how talented they are and how they never became famous. It's kind of sad how these people worked so hard and had as much talent as the celebs they sang back up for and now they have trouble paying their bills. I thought it could've been expanded out more though. They seem to only concentrate on a few specific singers. It was more of a human interest documentary. I would've like to have seen something more informational that delved into the history of back up singers and how they got started. Other than Bruce Springsteen, it pretty much just concentrated on R&B, which I love. I just would've liked to have seen the different types of music sung by the back up singers. Don't get me wrong, it had it's moments that were interesting and heart warming. I just found it a little to dull to have won the Oscar.

"Their songs are legendary, but they are 20 feet from stardom"If someone were to ask you if you know who Merry Clayton, Darlene Love, Claudia Lennear, Lisa Fischer, Tata Vega, or Judith Hill are you would probably have no clue, but I can guarantee you that you have heard their voices and hummed their music many times (and if you are too young to recall these songs, I guarantee you that the artists you listen to now have been highly influenced by their music). These talented ladies have spent most their lives singing in the background for such talented artists as Bruce Springsteen, The Rolling Stones, Sting, Stevie Wonder, Ray, Michael Jackson, and so on. Director, Morgan Neville, gives these ladies the opportunity to finally take center stage and share their testimonies and experiences with the audience in this fascinating and engaging documentary. There is just something uplifting about being able to listen to what they have to say and finally receiving some credit for their major contribution in helping shape music across the globe (beginning in the 50's with the Motown revolution). They may have never made it as leading singers, but the passion these women have for music transcends the camera and listening to their testimonies almost becomes a religious experience in itself. The film has some compelling interviews and uses archives really well to set the tone and take us through a history lesson in music. I also enjoyed the interviews with the famous artists like Stevie Wonder, Sting, and Mick Jagger who spoke very fondly of these women who have played an instrumental part in their music. It is hard to resist a documentary like this with such uplifting music.Getting to hear the testimonies of some of these talented ladies was probably the highlight of this documentary, although at times some of the interviews really didn't seem to be going anywhere. At other times they raised questions that they sort of left out in the air and only scratched the surface instead of delving deep. The documentary was a bit uneven in that sense, but every time I thought I was going to get irritated by it, the music and the passion these people have for it brought me right back in. I can see how this film attracted Academy voters as it won for best documentary feature, but by no means do I think it was the best documentary of the year. It is good to give these ladies credit for their contribution to the music industry, but the documentary never feels groundbreaking. After Searching for Sugarman's Oscar win last year, this marks the second year in a row in which a music themed documentary wins the Academy's votes, and there has sort of been a shift in the voters from political themes aiming towards the artistic side. It was an entertaining and uplifting documentary and I am glad I got to know a little more about these women and understand the passion they share for music. The 90 minute documentary succeeds in giving these ladies a voice of their own and making the audience appreciate the work and sacrifice it takes to be a backup singer.