Let the Canary Sing

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1:24

Let the Canary Sing

2023

1h 36m

Documentary

Music

Biography

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

83%

Tomatometer

12 Reviews

95%

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

Chronicling Cyndi Lauper's meteoric ascent to stardom and her profound impact on generations through her music, ever-evolving punk style, unwavering feminism, and tireless advocacy. The film takes the audience on an engaging exploration of the world of a renowned and pioneering artist, who has left a remarkable legacy with her artwork.

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Benji Wilson

Daily Telegraph (UK)

It is a strangely unambitious piece, one that keeps unearthing points of interest and then recoiling from further exploration.

Rated: 3/5

Jun 6, 2024

Full Review

Richard Whittaker

Austin Chronicle

While Let the Canary Sing is undoubtedly a loving portrait of Lauper, it's also a very human portrait of a woman who has always been OK with walking away, or dusting herself down after personal and professional challenges.

Jul 3, 2023

Full Review

Lex Briscuso

TheWrap

One thing is achingly clear in: The only things that truly mattered to Lauper were music and family. In this touching and lovely film, the two come together to show the world the true heart of Lauper’s character the way it’s always been.

Jun 27, 2023

Full Review

Brian Bromberger

Bay Area Reporter

You get the impression you are never seeing Lauper's true colors. This is a shame, because she's a remarkable unconventional woman with a generous, compassionate heart...But her willingness to be vulnerable is limited.

Jun 18, 2024

Full Review

Johnny Loftus

Decider

Let the Canary Sing lets Cyndi Lauper’s true colors shine through.

Jun 10, 2024

Full Review

John Paul King

Washington Blade

It (and she) has the power to make viewers into true believers not only in her talent, but in her message of acceptance, inclusion, and unconditional love.

Jun 10, 2024

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JL W

She is a National Treasure. The movie captures her genius, talent, fun, and lovability. And grace. One-of-a-kind. I am a super fan and I loved this movie. If you love music, music history, the art of creation, and visionary work - you will love this and learn new things from it.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/11/25

Full Review

Fred N

Great biopic about an interesting person. Reminds us how long "overnight success" takes. Also shows us the ups and downs of a long career even for someone widely acclaimed. Good for long-time fans as well as younger ones who know her music but weren't around when she blossomed.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

11/03/24

Full Review

J M

One thing I've learned after watching years and years of biographical documentaries about the "rich and famous" is that being a celebrity doesn't necessarily mean you're interesting. Thankfully, Lauper has not only had a decades-long multi-faceted career with extraordinary ups and downs, but she is a dynamite conversationalist, and I could have listened to her talk for hours and hours. She comes across as thoughtful and intelligent and very empathetic. And hers is a story that doesn't necessarily fall into the cliched trope we have all come to expect - childhood tragedy, substance abuse, big comeback, unexpected death... This is a story more about talent, drive and ambition than overcoming obstacles, although she definitely had a few. Lauper was my favorite of the singers that emerged from the mid-80s, and this film does a fantastic job of reminding us what a terrific voice she has - and how varied a career. It made me think of the negativity hurled toward Beyonce recently for her country album. Lauper clearly states that her goal was to follow her heart and try out different genres and types of music. This should be applauded, not dismissed. This is certainly one of the best celebrity documentaries of recent years, and it made me come to appreciate Lauper even more than I had before. - Jeff Marshall, Movie Blogger on Facebook

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

07/05/24

Full Review

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Alison Ellwood

Director

Cyndi Lauper

Self

Boy George

Self

Billy Porter

Self

Patti LaBelle

Self

Alison Ellwood

Producer

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Let the Canary Sing: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

Chronicling Cyndi Lauper's meteoric ascent to stardom and her profound impact on generations through her music, ever-evolving punk style, unwavering feminism, and tireless advocacy. The film takes the audience on an engaging exploration of the world of a renowned and pioneering artist, who has left a remarkable legacy with her artwork.

Director: Alison Ellwood
Producer: Alison Ellwood, Trevor Birney, Eimhear O'Neill, Andrew Tully, Tom Mackay, Richard Story, Rebecca Teitel, Sophia Dilley, Wesley Adams, Lisa Barbaris, Gregory P. Cimino III
Distributor: Paramount+
Production Co: Sony Music Entertainment, Fine Point Films, Concord Films
Genre: Documentary, Music, Biography
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 4, 2024
Runtime: 1h 36m

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