Madame X (2021 film)
Madame X is a 2021 documentary concert film starring American singer-songwriter Madonna, chronicling her Madame X Tour.[1] Written and produced by Madonna herself, the film was shot in January 2020 when she held her concerts in Lisbon, Portugal at the Coliseu dos Recreios.[2] The film was directed by Ricardo Gomes and SKNX (Sasha Kasiuha and Nuno Xico).[3]
Madame X
- Ricardo Gomes
- SKNX
Madame X
by Madonna
- Madonna
- Guy Oseary
- Arthur Fogel
- Sara Zambreno
Madonna
- Nuno Xico
- Sasha Kasiuha
- September 23, 2021
117 minutes
English
The film's official premiere was held on September 23, 2021, at the Paradise Club on top of the Times Square Edition hotel in New York City.[4][5] It was released on October 8, 2021, on Paramount+, and MTV in regions where Paramount+ is unavailable.[6] An accompanying live album was released on the same day as the film.[7] Critical response to Madame X film was generally positive, with many reviewers praising its visuals.
Production[edit]
Madonna released her fourteenth studio album, Madame X, in 2019, while she was living in Lisbon, Portugal. She was inspired to write the album after frequently getting invited to "living room sessions" with local musicians playing fado, morna, and samba music.[8] She also brought these musicians to the stage of the Madame X Tour, an all-theatre concert tour to promote the album. The tour was held in ten cities across North America and Europe, between September 17, 2019, and March 8, 2020, and earned $51.4 million in ticket sales.[9]
On January 12, 2020, Lisbon-based production service company Krypton International posted, via their official Instagram account, a picture of an "All Stage Access Pass" for the Lisbon tour evening happening that day, followed by the information that they were shooting and recording that concert.[10] During February 2021, after months of teasing the editing process from her home, Madonna re-shot specific elements of the show for the film.[11] On April 14, 2021, she posted on her official Facebook account that a private screening of Madame X had been held at a 500-seat theatre.[12]
Release and promotion[edit]
The film was projected at three exclusive screening events, on October 8 at Le Grand Rex in Paris, on October 9 at NiteOwl Drive-In in Miami and on October 10 at TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles. On October 8, Madonna appeared during The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon to promote the film. She made a surprise performance in Harlem singing "Dark Ballet", "Crazy", "Sodade" and "La Isla Bonita" at The Red Rooster, and later walked down the streets singing "Like a Prayer" in front of the St. Andrew's Episcopal Church along with Jon Batiste and a little choir.
On October 22, 2021, Madonna uploaded a teaser on Instagram from the Q&A session from the film's premiere. The recording of the Q&A session is directed by SKNX (Sasha Kasiuha and Nuno Xico) and was released on Paramount+ on November 18, 2021. The discussion was assisted by RuPaul's Drag Race winners Symone and Aquaria. On October 28, 2021, Madonna went on to tease a list of artists who submitted a question to her including, Lil Wayne, Billie Eilish, Doja Cat, Amy Schumer, Katy Perry, Kim Kardashian, Snoop Dogg, FKA Twigs, Jeremy Scott, Lil Nas X, Ariana Grande, and Jimmy Fallon.
Reception[edit]
Madame X received generally positive reviews from critics. On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, Madame X has an approval rating of 67%, based on 6 reviews from critics.[13] At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average rating, the film has received an average score of 62 out of 100, based on 4 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[14] Mick LaSalle from San Francisco Chronicle praised the film for Madonna's ability to reimagine herself and come up with new ideas, and described it as "somewhere between a success and a triumph".[15] Nick Levine from NME gave the concert film four out of five stars, stating: "Feels like an opportunity to end the experience on a positive and empowered note".[16]
Alexis Petridis of The Guardian gave the concert film three out of five stars describing it as a "fascinating behind-the-scenes documentary" and "beautifully shot". In his review, Petridis also asserts "the staging is impressive and wilfully arty".[17] John DeFore from The Hollywood Reporter praised its visual variety, but described the setlist as "weighted toward lesser material".[18] Writing for USA Today, Melissa Ruggieri reported that Madame X "is artistically impressive but often confounding".[19] Johnny Loftus from Decider opined that "the creative scope of Madame X is its most impressive thing" that "mixes high-concept [and] artfully constructed performance".[20] In a negative review, Owen Gleiberman from Variety criticized the film's serious tone and the usage of songs from the Madame X album.[21]
The film was nominated for Best Long Form Video at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards, but lost to Taylor Swift's All Too Well: The Short Film.[22]