Glen Campbell…I'll Be Me

Filmmaker James Keach, who produced the Johnny Cash bio-pic Walk the Line, assumes that viewers already have some familiarity with singer-songwriter-guitarist Glen Campbell, since he focuses on 2011 when the 75-year-old first receives a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. In the informative, if stagy opener, Campbell watches home movies with his wife, Kim, who identifies the participants, since he doesn't recognize any of his children or ex-wives. With the new album Ghost on the Canvas on the way, Kim decides that they should go public with his condition and embark on a farewell tour. Campbell can still sing and play, but associates and relatives—including his kids (who play in his band) Cal, Ashley, and Shannon—have to help him with almost everything else, The first part of the tour, which includes an appearance on The Tonight Show, goes well. Although Campbell forgets lyrics in Nashville due to a teleprompter malfunction, he handles the situation with humor. The documentary then backtracks to Campbell's long career as a session musician, solo star, and TV host, before returning to the tour in 2012 as Campbell's performances are starting to suffer. Wanting him to go out on top, the team draws things to a close. Throughout the film, various collaborators, including songwriter Jimmy Webb ("Wichita Lineman") and fans, such as Keith Urban, pay their respects. Offering a moving look at a music icon's courageous battle with a debilitating disease that cries out for more research and a cure, this is recommended. (K. Fennessy)