I Am Woman (2020)

I Am Woman is the kind of music biopic that earns its uplift the hard way, tracing Helen Reddy’s rise with a grounded, human pulse instead of a glossy victory lap. Tilda Cobham-Hervey gives a performance that feels lived-in and quietly electric, capturing both the hunger of an artist trying to be heard and the resilience of a mother building a life from scratch. Director Unjoo Moon keeps the vibe warm and crowd-pleasing—full of 1970s energy, friendship, and the thrill of a voice finding its moment—while still acknowledging the bruising costs of fame and a relationship curdling under pressure. It’s not for everyone if you’re allergic to familiar biopic beats or uneasy with depictions of domestic conflict, but if you want an accessible, affectionate story that leaves you feeling steadier than when you started, this one delivers.

I Am Woman clearly wants to be an uplifting, feminist-leaning music biopic about Helen Reddy’s grit, her anthem’s impact, and the price of fame. The problem is it often plays like a checklist of genre beats—struggle, breakthrough, toxic relationship, triumphant return—without digging deep enough into what made Reddy uniquely compelling beyond the headline moments. A big chunk of the runtime is swallowed by the marriage drama, which can feel repetitive and, for some viewers, emotionally draining rather than illuminating. If you’re looking for a richly textured portrait of the music scene or a more expansive look at the movement around her, you may leave underfed, but if you’re fine with a straightforward, competently acted rise-and-fall crowd-pleaser, it does deliver a few solid, inspiring moments.