David Byrne’s American Utopia ran on Broadway from October 2019 until February earlier this year, just before the Broadway pandemic shook. Fortunately American Utopia gets a second life as a concert film directed by Spike Lee, and brings the show right to your home in a year where concerts have become an impossibility.
The musical, written by and starring former Talking Heads frontman Byrne, brings together 11 musicians to perform a modified version of Byrne’s album of the same name. The stage show also includes hits from Byrne’s past such as “This Must Be the Place”, and even a cover of Janelle Monáe’s “Hell You Talmbout.” The songs are broken up by Byrne monologues emphasizing the show’s themes of unity, optimism and social justice.
While taking over the electricity from a live show is a daunting feat to pick up, judging by the trailer, Lee seems to have done it.
American Utopia will have its world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival in 2020 on Sept. 10. before being available on October 17 on HBO.
