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Love to Love You, Donna Summer

Play trailer 1:53 Poster for Love to Love You, Donna Summer 2023 1h 45m Documentary Music Play Trailer Watchlist
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82% Tomatometer 28 Reviews 69% Popcornmeter 50+ Ratings
Donna Summer creates music that takes her from the avant-garde scene in Germany to the glitter and bright lights of dance clubs in New York; features never-before-seen home video footage and interviews with friends, family and colleagues.
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Love to Love You, Donna Summer

Love to Love You, Donna Summer

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Critics Consensus

An enigmatic documentary about an equally enigmatic singer, Love to Love You, Donna Summer's got you covered from disco to soul.

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Critics Reviews

View All (28) Critics Reviews
Randy Myers San Jose Mercury News It’s more candid and doesn’t gloss over the hard parts of Summer’s life. Rated: 3/4 May 31, 2023 Full Review Jamie Ludwig Chicago Reader This is a daughter’s exploration of who her mother was at her core, and why she lived her life and made her choices the way she did. May 24, 2023 Full Review Brian Lowry CNN.com By the time it’s over, "Love to Love You" might not have completely put together the pieces of who Summer was, but it has fostered an appreciation for what she produced, particularly during that inordinately fertile span of hits during the late ’70s. May 19, 2023 Full Review Matthew Carey Deadline Hollywood Daily Directors Roger Ross Williams and Brooklyn Sudano don’t aim for a jukebox music experience, content to press play on one hit after another. Rather, they create a portrait of a woman and artist far more complex than has been appreciated. Nov 18, 2023 Full Review James Croot Stuff.co.nz Both a celebration of her successes and a lament for what Summer endured, Love to Love You feels like at once an intimate portrait – and a cathartic release for her children. Aug 7, 2023 Full Review Glenn Dunks The Film Experience There’s a tunnel vision to the story being told here that, through some weird editing and scripting choices, abandons her musical skills for less interesting detours into her private life. Jun 26, 2023 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (26) audience reviews
Avery R Donna Summer was amazing and I can’t wait to see this movie! She will forever and always be the Queen of Disco! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/11/24 Full Review Ashley H Love to Love, Donna Summer is a disappointing film. It is about the singer, Donna Summer. I thought the documentary was disjointed and not put together well. I would not recommend it. Rated 1 out of 5 stars 09/10/23 Full Review James Michael H If you love Donna Summer and as I do, skip this documentary. It's structured terribly and fails to capture her magic. She deserved so much more and better. Rated 1 out of 5 stars 08/24/23 Full Review Alan W Co-directed by one of her daughters and co-produced with Summer's husband, HBO Max's documentary on yet another female icon of our times unsurprisingly doesn't scratch the surface much. The story of Donna Summer's humble beginnings which eventually lead to international fame is duly presented here, as are her struggles with her record company and balancing work with motherhood. There are some insights into her fears and insecurities and the most revealing it gets is mentioning the sexual abuse and domestic violence which befall her with various relationships in her life. But like her difficulty in reconciling her faith with her pulsating and overtly sexy music and her gay following, all these issues were addressed but hardly discussed in any real depth. Despite the unevenness of quality of some of the audio and visual excerpts they've unearthed from her archive, access to these rare and unseen/unheard home video footage and outtakes is this film's biggest selling point. Otherwise, how would we know Summer has such a silly sense of humour and that she was once in a German production of Hair? Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 07/20/23 Full Review Shelley H Like that it included her music at different points in her life and the evolution. It shared information and insights about her story we never knew, while seeming to allow her and her family to maintain a certain amount of privacy - which we actually prefer. Nicely done. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 06/14/23 Full Review Steve J This documentary barely scratched the surface of the true icon Donna Summer is. It's fragmented and not in any chronological order. After the Casablanca years they mention one album on the Geffen label. And no other albums or songs are mentioned or heard. She had many amazing albums that were released after the Casablanca years . I love Donna Summer, but this documentary disappoints. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 06/08/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Love to Love You, Donna Summer

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Cast & Crew

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Movie Info

Synopsis Donna Summer creates music that takes her from the avant-garde scene in Germany to the glitter and bright lights of dance clubs in New York; features never-before-seen home video footage and interviews with friends, family and colleagues.
Director
Roger Ross Williams, Brooklyn Sudano
Producer
David Blackman, Christopher Clements, Julie Goldman, Carolyn Hepburn, Roger Ross Williams
Production Co
Motto Pictures, Federal Films, One Story Up Productions
Genre
Documentary, Music
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
May 20, 2023
Runtime
1h 45m
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