Glen Campbell's Legacy: I'll Be Me

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I love documentaries, and often pick one over a regular movie.  Even so, I wasn’t so sure about seeing “I’ll Be Me,” the Glen Campbell documentary showing in theaters now.

The film chronicles Glen’s 2011 Alzheimer’s diagnosis and his “Goodbye Tour,” which lasted almost 18 months and featured 151 sold out shows.  In spite of great reviews, I put off seeing the film afraid it might be a maudlin portrayal of a once wildly-popular entertainer.

Boy, was I wrong.

If you haven’t seen “I’ll Be Me,” I highly recommend it.

Yes, you may cry a little, but you’ll also smile and laugh throughout much of the film.  You will be amazed at the musical talent of Glen Campbell and his three adult children.  You will be moved by the Campbell family allowing a film crew to chronicle almost every aspect of their lives.  You will see a thoughtful, well-paced film about bravery and beauty.

Producer James Keach describes the film as showing “the gnarly truth” about Alzheimer’s.  Yet, I didn’t find it maudlin.  Even in the face of this terrible disease, Glen Campbell and his family show us there is music and there is love.

Like all documentaries, “I’ll Be Me” won’t be in theaters for long.  See it on the big screen.  You won’t regret it.

Nancy Wurtzel writes about Alzheimer's and other tough issues at her blog, www.datingdementia.com.