Sundance 2022: Nothing Compares (World Cinema Documentary Competition) | Review
Presented in the World Cinema Documentary Competition of the 2022 Sundance Film Festival, Kathryn Ferguson’s Nothing Compares slowly but surely rehabilitates controversial Irish artist Sinéad O’Connor in a riveting yet fragmentary portrait.
The 2022 Sundance Film Festival is in full swing, and we are excited to be delving into this year’s rich program. Music documentaries are a common sub-genre of documentary films, and we came across one of them, which received its World Premiere in the World Cinema Documentary Competition section of the 2022 Sundance Film Festival: Nothing Compares, directed by Kathryn Ferguson, looks back at the rise of Irish controversial artist Sinéad O’Connor, in an attempt to rehabilitate her.
What starts as a typical music documentary looking back, chronologically, at an artist’s early days, gradually transforms into an attempt at rehabilitating a controversial artist. The film does not prove particularly engaging in the beginning, chronicling the childhood and beginnings of Irish singer Sinéad O’Connor in a traditional way, using archival footage and voiceover interviews, but it lays the groundwork for understanding the artist’s positions and political commitments, which are explored later in the film. One learns, in particular, about the source of her animosity toward Ireland’s restrictive religious establishment.
It isn’t until halfway to the film that director Kathryn Ferguson finally allows us to witness the impressive spectrum of Sinéad O’Connor’s talent, which eventually build empathy for the character. Finally, longer live performance sequences allow us to appreciate her talent, lyrics, and repertoire variety.
What’s most compelling about Nothing Compares is when the film finally delves into the controversy sparked by its main character. One learns about the groundbreaking political positions of Sinéad O’Connor such as her support for pro-choice demonstrations in Ireland, about the freedom of choice regarding abortion, her progressive position towards the notion of genre, or her accusations of the sexual abuse cases undermining the Catholic Church. The film is at its most startling when showing how Sinéad O’Connor was instantly met with rejection, and ad hominem attacks as she politicized her lyrics and statements. The brutality with which she was treated by the media in the 1970s and 1980s, and afterwards by fans, is nothing short of frightening and heartbreaking.
This way, the film skillfully manages to create empathy for Sinéad O’Connor who gets unfairly treated in front of the audience’s eyes. From talk show hosts openly making fun of her bald hair in reaction to her political statements, to multiple death threats received by Sinéad O’Connor, the film meticulously builds an indictment against society’s harsh judgment of Sinéad O’Connor, while praising her bravery and progressive ideas.
Despite the film’s rushed ending, especially when it decides to stop chronicling the life and career of Sinéad O’Connor in the 90s, Nothing Compares slowly unfolds in a powerful and inspiring tribute to a courageous woman who had to face harsh, unfair and brutal rejection.
Grade: 3.5/5
