David Bowie: The Last Five Years

David Bowie: The Last Five Years

Directed by Francis Whately

Produced by BBC Film

201790 min7.1 / 10

A reverent documentary portrait of David Bowie's final creative renaissance, balancing nostalgia and artistic legacy with the poignancy of mortality and artistic renewal.

In the last five years of his life, David Bowie ended nearly a decade of silence to engage in an extraordinary burst of activity, producing two groundbreaking albums and a musical. David Bowie: The Last Five Years explores this unexpected end to a remarkable career. Made with remarkable access, Francis Whately’s documentary is a revelatory follow-up to his acclaimed 2013 documentary David Bowie: Five Years, which chronicled Bowie’s golden ‘70s and early-‘80s period.

Questions people ask

  • Is David Bowie: The Last Five Years violent? No. Less violent than 92% of films.

  • Is David Bowie: The Last Five Years sad? Yes. More sad than 75% of films.

  • Is David Bowie: The Last Five Years easy watching? Somewhat. More comforting than 71% of films.

  • Is David Bowie: The Last Five Years scary? Not especially. Less frightening than 65% of films.

  • Does David Bowie: The Last Five Years end with hope? Somewhat. More hopeful than 62% of films.

These describe how the film comes across, measured across the whole film and compared with other well-known films. They are not a content list — nothing here was counted or checked scene by scene, so for age-suitability or specific content use a classification board or a dedicated content-warning service.

47/ 100

Cinnamon Score

How much this film gives you that nothing else will, and whether it delivers.

Familiar shape, done well.

Rarity50

How unlike any other film this one feels

Surprise25

How much more it delivers than it promises

Love72

How much audiences actually like it

The highest scores in the catalogue →

Ensemble

Like David Bowie: The Last Five Years

Nearest across the full emotional profile.

Same Mood as David Bowie: The Last Five Years

Nearest on what's most distinctive about this one.

Like David Bowie: The Last Five Years, But Darker

Similar, pushed toward heavier and more intense.

Like David Bowie: The Last Five Years, But Lighter

Similar, pushed toward warmer and easier.

Like David Bowie: The Last Five Years, But Less Popular

Same territory, far fewer people have seen it.

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