‘Nothing Compares’ Review: Bio-Documentary Composes Sinéad O’Connor’s Life Into a Sanitized Greatest Hits Compilation [Sundance]

Equipped with a hazy aesthetic and archival footage galore, “Nothing Compares,” Kathryn Ferguson’s documentary about the early stardom of controversial singer-songwriter Sinéad O’Connor, celebrates the Irish artist’s commitment to shattering industry trends but ultimately fails to break away from traditionalism itself.

“Nothing Compares” presents O’Connor as a pioneer, an artist whose foremost rationale for pursuing a career in music resided in her desire to craft art for the sake of social reform by way of personal catharsis. Within the world of mainstream music circa 1989, O’Connor’s temperament distinguished her from her contemporaries. As the plasticity of the ’80s music scene waned, the singer-songwriter put forth an unconditionally pro-choice stance and made her support of minority communities clear, years before those sentiments became commonplace in the pop-star firmament.

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Zeroing in on the years 1989 to 1993 — a span of time in which O’Connor released her mainstream breakthrough, the double-platinum album I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got — the doc interweaves visually diverse reenactments of O’Connor’s life, often cycling through 8mm, VHS and digital footage in the blink of an eye. Ferguson’s decision to pursue a collage-like aesthetic complements the film’s pacing and emotional foundation equally; the stirring glitz and depressive toil of O’Connor’s newfound stardom are captured with tantamount energy and mirror the singer-songwriter’s reluctant relationship with fame.

In addition, “Nothing Compares” delves into O’Connor’s somber upbringing, and although the musician has never shied away from detailing the abuse she endured, these segments are the most triumphant in Ferguson’s documentary. In these moments of vulnerability — marked by O’Connor’s musing over religious manipulation, trauma and loneliness — “Nothing Compares” sings a song that separates it from other biographical documentaries. The complete lack of “talking heads” and steadfast focus on visual language keeps the narrative pace locked at a brisk velocity, and appeals more to its subject’s emotional state rather than simply laying out a historical timeline of events.

However, for the uninitiated and well-versed alike, “Nothing Compares” cannot help but feel a bit off-key. Despite the interpersonal insight that reinforces the documentary’s foundation during the first act, once the focus shifts toward O’Connor’s overnight success upon the release of “The Lion and the Cobra,” “Nothing Compares” nosedives into nostalgia and overly congratulatory reflections. Emotional exploration halts, visual experimentation ceases and flaws worm their way into the film’s core.

Oddly, outside of uncovering the lyrical inspiration behind several of O’Connor’s hit songs, Ferguson neglects to unearth the inspirations behind the content of her first three albums, which would have furthered the doc’s focus on O’Connor’s personal artistry versus the media-fueled public perception of her. Regrettably, “Nothing Compares” never decides whether its target audience should be prior fans of O’Connor’s discography or unassimilated newcomers, which undercuts the adjacent tangents the film presents. Divulging that Ensign Records lobbied for O’Connor to terminate her first pregnancy and accentuating the media’s regressive narrative-shifting are both equally disturbing and insightful revelations, but “Nothing Compares” all too quickly shifts back to circling O’Connor’s fame.

Likewise, the most bothersome trait of “Nothing Compares” rests in its decision to conclude its narrative with O’Connor’s infamous “SNL” appearance in 1992. In the years following the musician’s departure from the public eye, O’Connor has not only continued releasing music but also been subject to intense bouts of mental illness, the most notable of which (at least prior to this year, when O’Connor was hospitalized following the suicide of her 17-year-old son) occurred in 2017. Depriving “Nothing Compares” of any mention of O’Connor’s more recent life irreparably wounds the film. Had Ferguson bothered to cast aside her rose-tinted gaze, the documentary might have, akin to O’Connor’s rebellious spirit, broken the mold of what’s expected from cinematic works of biographical nonfiction.

But “Nothing Compares” plays it far too safe, tying its final bow with a hasty montage stuffed with clips of mainstream pop sensations and social revolution as interviewees insinuate that O’Connor laid the groundwork for such events, which — at least to the grand extent that the documentary asserts — is objectively false. Yes, the world — and Ireland especially — is a different place than it was at the time of O’Connor’s peak, and the artist/activist’s role in helping cultivate a voice for future female musicians deserves recognition. Nevertheless, “Nothing Compares” does not itself care to move forward or challenge anyone. It’s a film content with remaining motionless, making it unlikely that viewers will derive a valuable takeaway from its tangled messaging. Although Ferguson’s intentions are praiseworthy, the ensuing product of the filmmaker’s admiration falls short of greatness and, at best, inadvertently dismisses an opportunity to fully capitalize on the life story of a legendary artist. [C]

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