Pink: All I Know So Far: Film Review

Director: Michael Gracey

There are moments in Pink: All I Know So Far where the film soars.

It's in a moment where a candid Pink reacts to the story of a suicidal fan on the eve of a concert, and the earnestness as her voice cracks as she tells a familiar tale to many of how music saved one person's life. It's in a moment where a camera follows her around the skies of an empty Wembley stadium on the eve of her biggest concert, and she truly feels free as she twirls around in the rehearsal finally getting the time alone she clearly needs - but where she worries that one day her children will see through the Pink act and see a terrified Alecia just trying to do it all.

But there are too few of these moments in Michael Gracey's vaguely hagiographic and workmanlike behind the scenes look at Pink's Beautiful Trauma tour as it played Europe during 2018 and 2019.

Mixing live concert footage with rehearsals and scenes of moving from one country to the next, an ever whirling blur of trying to snatch moments, Gracey's camera captures the intensity of the touring artist and the dilemma of Pink the mother.

It's here that the doco excels - it becomes a rallying cry for a working mother, struggling with guilt of what she believes she's inflicting on her children and the daily necessity of being one of the world's leading pop artists. But using a mantra of making family memories together, Gracey captures Pink's desire to have her cake and eat it with such generosity of camera intrusion and spirit, that it does begin to feel like a snapshot of the modern day family struggle.

Interestingly though, Gracey never once stops to interrogate his subject, and there are plenty of times when there is a feeling that this is largely directed by Pink herself - but thankfully she proves to be someone you want to spend time with in whatever shape or form.

Pink: All I Know So Far ends in exuberant form, a joyous uplifting crowd-pleasing performance of So What hitting all the right notes, and reminding viewers of the touring experience that Covid-19 has robbed us all of - but also sadly reminding us of how occasionally insubstantial and surface level the doco has been at times throughout.

There are no deep revelations in Pink: All I Know So Far, nor perhaps should there be. 

In many ways, it feels like a pictorial diary of an artist and their musings - not once does it dive deeper, or aim to expose Pink's evident neuroses, and nor perhaps was it ever intending to do. As a celebration of motherhood and of dedication, it's a superlative and empowering piece - and perhaps that's what it best should be remembered for.

Amazon Studios will release P!NK: ALL I KNOW SO FAR globally on Prime Video May 21st, 2021