I watched this movie for the first time in 2009, almost twenty years after its release and this proves I am not a big Madonna fan. In fact, I never particularly liked or disliked her. I thought she was "cool" in "Desperately seeking Susan", but that was the "Into the Groove" time, when she had just started her rise.
The "Blonde Ambition" tour was probably the top of Madonna's career, and this would-be documentary shows her at her most unbearable. Somebody mentioned that it shines a light on her "human" side (as if she was some sort of alien), but in truth she comes across as a controlling, pretentious bitch who goes out of her way to humiliate and annoy people. Hardly the best human side one can show. Even the visit to her mother's grave is disgustingly theatrical. Instead of making you feel sorry for the child of five who lost her mum it makes you feel sorry for the spoiled brat she became.
Of course we all know that Madonna built her career on sex and the Catholic religion and by now I doubt anybody would be shocked by her swinging crucifix or her masturbation. However, tasteful it was not... and still isn't. The part filmed on stage is disappointing because some of songs performed are just not good, no matter how much sex is thrown in to spice them.
The "documentary" part is embarrassing to watch. It was interesting for me to see that Madonna had a crush on Antonio Banderas, but at the time he was married with a pretty Spanish lady (who looked a lot better both of Madonna and Melanie Griffith). Warren Beatty makes the only decent comment about the whole filming, but he is also brushed off and humiliated, not to mention the poor Costner.
I am not a Costner fan either, but his comment sounded rather sarcastic to me ("Neat" applied to the overbearing and vulgar show sounds like a sarcastic way to say "It sucked"), but looks like Madonna did not get the joke. She definitely takes herself very seriously when she describes herself as an "artist" who will not change anything in her show, even if she risks to get arrested for "indecent exposure" or any such like - very unlikely - charge.
Finally, when she talks to her father she is so arrogant and dismissive that I felt sorry for the poor guy. She even uses the word "chatartic" with the intent of confuse her father; but looks like she herself had no clue as to what that word means.
Madonna was an icon of the 80's and early 90's and possibly a decent singer, but for sure she was never a great actress and definitely not somebody with any sense of humor.
The "Blonde Ambition" tour was probably the top of Madonna's career, and this would-be documentary shows her at her most unbearable. Somebody mentioned that it shines a light on her "human" side (as if she was some sort of alien), but in truth she comes across as a controlling, pretentious bitch who goes out of her way to humiliate and annoy people. Hardly the best human side one can show. Even the visit to her mother's grave is disgustingly theatrical. Instead of making you feel sorry for the child of five who lost her mum it makes you feel sorry for the spoiled brat she became.
Of course we all know that Madonna built her career on sex and the Catholic religion and by now I doubt anybody would be shocked by her swinging crucifix or her masturbation. However, tasteful it was not... and still isn't. The part filmed on stage is disappointing because some of songs performed are just not good, no matter how much sex is thrown in to spice them.
The "documentary" part is embarrassing to watch. It was interesting for me to see that Madonna had a crush on Antonio Banderas, but at the time he was married with a pretty Spanish lady (who looked a lot better both of Madonna and Melanie Griffith). Warren Beatty makes the only decent comment about the whole filming, but he is also brushed off and humiliated, not to mention the poor Costner.
I am not a Costner fan either, but his comment sounded rather sarcastic to me ("Neat" applied to the overbearing and vulgar show sounds like a sarcastic way to say "It sucked"), but looks like Madonna did not get the joke. She definitely takes herself very seriously when she describes herself as an "artist" who will not change anything in her show, even if she risks to get arrested for "indecent exposure" or any such like - very unlikely - charge.
Finally, when she talks to her father she is so arrogant and dismissive that I felt sorry for the poor guy. She even uses the word "chatartic" with the intent of confuse her father; but looks like she herself had no clue as to what that word means.
Madonna was an icon of the 80's and early 90's and possibly a decent singer, but for sure she was never a great actress and definitely not somebody with any sense of humor.