The math was simple: 47 billion streams + 150 million records + 4 diamond singles = one seemingly perfect life.
But when tragedy struck twice in 2022, the male pop star discovered that some equations can’t be solved with hit songs and stadium tours.
It’s like “Amy” meets “Some Kind of Monster”.
Trailer for “Ed Sheeran: The Sum of It All”
Watch “Ed Sheeran: The Sum of It All”
You can watch the Ed Sheeran documentary on Disney+ at https://www.disneyplus.com/series/ed-sheeran-the-sum-of-it-all/5gIzKtbw5yOq.
It looks exclusive to Disney+ for now but check here to see streaming options change: https://www.justwatch.com/us/tv-show/ed-sheeran-the-sum-of-it-all
Ratings:
- My Rating: 93/100
- IMDB Rating: 8.2/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Ratings: 90/100 (Users); 100/100 (Critics)
Release Date: May 3, 2023
My Review of “Ed Sheeran: The Sum of It All”
I love a doc whose direction completely changes during filming.
Nobody knew that when they started filming Ed Sheeran for “The Sum of It All,” they’d end up capturing the moment a superstar’s perfect life fell apart.
You Can’t Make This Sh*t Up
Life hit Sheeran with a brutal one-two punch while filming this documentary.
His best friend Jamal Edwards died from a heart problem after taking drugs in February 2022.
Then, within a couplf of weeks, his wife finds out she hadsa tumor.
The Set-Up
David Soutar (who directed “Sunderland ‘Til I Die”, ” After the Screaming Stops”, “Mo Farah: No Easy Mile” and “Harry Styles: Behind the Album”) directed this 4-part docuseries for Disney+.
It started as a simple story about Sheeran’s amazing year of tours and hits in 2022.
Then everything changed.
The four-part doc took a dark turn when Sheeran’s friend and mentor, Jamal Edwards, died at just 31 years old.
We see Sheeran trying to deal with losing Jamal while also taking care of his wife Cherry during her cancer scare.
The Creative Process
Sheeran shares something surprising in Episode 3: he’s only written about six truly great songs in under 30 minutes.
And he says only hugging his daughter feels as good as writing those quick hits.
Then Aaron Dessner from The National shows up to help make Sheeran’s acoustic album “Subtraction.”
The cameras catch Dessner adding moody background sounds while Sheeran plays with different song versions.
At one point, Dessner changes the key of a song, making a simple tune sound deeper and sadder.
Sheeran tries singing it different ways, switching from his usual big voice to soft, high notes.
The Legal Battles (Episode 3)
While dealing with all this personal stuff, Sheeran has to fight off lawsuits (Episode 3).
Other artists say he stole their songs. You can see how much these claims bother him as he stands up for his songwriting.
[update: Sheeran later won that battle (as of last I checked (Dec. 11, 2024)].
Other Raw Moments (Episodes 3 & 4)
Episode 3 also us to London’s Union Chapel. Sheeran plays new songs about Jamal, and he can’t hold back his tears.
It’s just him and his guitar – no big stage shows or fancy effects.
In Episode 4, called “Final Bar,” Sheeran strips everything down even more.
He plays alone with just his guitar, a small keyboard, and some foot pedals.
It reminds you that before all the fame, he was just a kid from Suffolk who loved music.
Unexpected Cameo: Eminem (Episode 3)
I had no idea how much Sheeran idolized Eminem.
And the feeling is mutual.
The doc walks through the story of how Eminem asks Sheeran to perform at his Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony.
Sheeran Talks About Death
We also see a different side of Sheeran when he talks about death.
He believes in life after death and says he knows he’ll meet Jamal again someday.
Wrap Up
I believe “The Sum of It All” is the best documentary capturing a global music star during an unexpected dark period.
Think of it as “Some Kind of Monster” meets “Amy” – it’s not about making music anymore, it’s about staying human when everything falls apart.
Stuff I made up: None – all details come from the show notes and verified sources.
Thanks for reading!
Rob Kelly, Chief Maniac, Daily Doc