Review: 'Youssou N'Dour: I Bring What I Love'

The power of one man's voice to inspire change is captured in this documentary about Africa's biggest pop star.

from the July 2, 2009 edition

When the great West African singer Youssou N'Dour brought out his album "Egypt," a celebration of Islam that also championed a more tolerant view of the religion, he alienated his huge worldwide fan base and upset traditional Islamist vocalists. The documentary "Youssou N'Dour: I Bring What I Love" describes the fallout and ultimate reconciliation brought about by that album and, in the process, showcases numerous rousing concert tour footage from Africa, Europe, and America. The director Chai Vasarhelyi followed N'Dour, the biggest-selling African pop star of all time, around for two years. Although his movie often resembles the kind of promotional video one might find as an extra on a concert DVD, N'Dour in full throttle is a sight, and sound, to behold. Grade: B-