American Utopia is a 2020 American concert film directed and produced by Spike Lee, from a screenplay by American musician David Byrne. The film is a live recording of a Broadway performance of the show adapted from the touring show that supported the album of the same name. The film features selections from that album, as well as songs from throughout Byrne's career. Byrne performed alongside eleven musicians, all of whom used wireless or portable equipment. Frequent collaborator Annie-B Parson served as choreographer.
It had its world premiere at the 2020 Toronto International Film Festival on September 10, 2020. The film received critical acclaim.
Cast All provide percussion; all except Byrne provide backing vocals. David Byrne – lead vocals, electric and acoustic guitars Chris Giarmo – dancing, melodica Tendayi Kuumba – dancing Karl Mansfield – keyboards, musical director Angie Swan – electric guitar Bobby Wooten III – bass Mauro Refosco – drums, musical director Tim Keiper – drums Gustavo Di Dalva – drums Jacquelene Acevedo – drums Daniel Freedman – drums Stephane San Juan – drums
Songs "Here" (from American Utopia) "I Know Sometimes a Man Is Wrong" (from Rei Momo) "Don't Worry About the Government" (from Talking Heads: 77) "Lazy" (from Muzikizum by X-Press 2) "This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)" (from Speaking in Tongues) "I Zimbra" (from Fear of Music) "Slippery People" (from Speaking in Tongues) "I Should Watch TV" (from Love This Giant) "Everybody's Coming to My House" (from American Utopia) "Once in a Lifetime" (from Remain in Light) "Glass, Concrete & Stone" (from Grown Backwards) "Toe Jam" (from I Think We're Gonna Need a Bigger Boat by The Brighton Port Authority) "Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On)" (from Remain in Light) "I Dance Like This" (from American Utopia) "Bullet" (from American Utopia) "Every Day Is a Miracle" (from American Utopia) "Blind" (from Naked) "Burning Down the House" (from Speaking in Tongues) "Hell You Talmbout" (by Janelle Monáe) "One Fine Day" (from Everything That Happens Will Happen Today) "Road to Nowhere" (from Little Creatures) "Everybody's Coming to My House: Detroit" (end credits, sung by the Detroit School of Arts Vocal Jazz choir)
Production In June 2020, it was announced Spike Lee had directed a filmed version of the Broadway performance American Utopia by David Byrne, with HBO distributing.
Cinematographers Ellen Kuras and Declan Quinn used Sony Venice digital cameras to capture the performance.
Release American Utopia had its world premiere at the 2020 Toronto International Film Festival on September 10, 2020. It screened at the New York Film Festival on October 3, 2020, and the BFI London Film Festival on October 14, 2020. It was broadcast in the United States and Canada on HBO and made available for streaming through HBO Max (U.S.) and Crave (Canada) on October 17, 2020. Universal Pictures distributed the film in all other countries. The film received a limited theatrical release in the United States throughout September 2021. The film was released on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD by The Criterion Collection on December 16, 2025.
Album
The movie was accompanied by a soundtrack album that featured the same songs as the movie, but instead of having "Everybody's Coming to My House: Detroit", the album has a bonus track of a live recording of "The Great Curve" from Talking Head's album Remain in Light (1980).
Track listing
Reception American Utopia received critical acclaim. It holds approval rating on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, based on reviews, with an average of . The site's critical consensus reads, "Helmed in elegant and exhilarating style by Spike Lee, David Byrne's American Utopia is a concert film that doubles as a joyously cathartic celebration." On Metacritic, the film holds a rating of 92 out of 100, based on 28 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".
Erik Adams of The A.V. Club devotes a lengthy review to American Utopia as "the right movie for 2020", noting how Byrne balances hope in a tumultuous world, writing, "The key to American Utopias resonance isn’t so much one of joy versus despair as it is connection versus isolation".
Accolades Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result Chicago Film Critics Association Awards December 21, 2020 Best Documentary Film David Byrne and Spike Lee Florida Film Critics Circle Awards December 21, 2020 Best Documentary Film American Utopia San Diego Film Critics Society Awards January 11, 2021 Best Use of Music American Utopia Toronto Film Critics Association Awards February 7, 2021 Allan King Documentary Award Spike Lee Grammy AwardsMarch 14, 2021Best Musical Theater AlbumAmerican Utopia on Broadway2021 Nominations List Directors Guild of America Award April 10, 2021 Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Variety/Talk/News/Sports – Specials Spike Lee American Cinema Editors Eddie Awards April 17, 2021 Best Edited Variety Talk/Sketch Show or Special Adam Gough Primetime Emmy Awards September 19, 2021 Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded) Jeff Skoll, David Linde, Diane Weyermann, Len Blavatnik, David Bither, Charlie Cohen, Kurt Deutsch, Bill Pohlad, Christa Zofcin Workman, Jon Kamen, Dave Sirulnick, Meredith Bennett, Kristin Caskey, Mike Isaacson, Patrick Catullo, Sue Naegle, Alec Sash, David Byrne and Spike Lee September 11 and 12, 2021 Outstanding Directing for a Variety Special Spike Lee Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction for a Variety Special Rob Sinclair and Brian Spett Outstanding Music Direction Karl Mansfield Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety Series or Special Paul Hsu, Pete Keppler and Michael Lonsdale Outstanding Technical Direction, Camerawork, Video Control for a Special Peter Agliata, Kerwin DeVonish, Tim Ives, Ellen Kuras, Sam Levy, Charles Libin, Declan Quinn, Yousheng Tang, Gregor Tavenner and David Waterston Tony Awards September 26, 2021 Special Tony Award American Utopia Grammy Awards January 31, 2022 Best Music Film American Utopia
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