Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé

Beyoncé. Coachella. A Greek sorority-inspired marching band with 200-person drum line…50 dancers in formation.

This is the best Beyoncé documentary on one of her concerts that I’ve seen.

Trailer for “Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé”

Watch “Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé”

You can watch “Homecoming” on Netflix at https://www.netflix.com/title/81013626

It’s a Netflix Original film so it likely won’t be streaming anywhere else.

Ratings:

  • My Rating: 94/100
  • IMDB Rating: 7.6/10
  • Rotten Tomatoes Ratings: 87/100 (Users); 94 /100 (Critics)

Release Date: April 17, 2019

My Review of “Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé”

Beyoncé’s “Homecoming” gives you a twofer:

You get to see the icon perform a 2018 show.

And, you get a taste of Coachella as a festival and venue.

We know Beyoncé as a superstar, but “Homecoming” shows the grit, sweat, and brilliance behind the glitz.

You can’t make this sh*t up: Beyoncé gave birth to twins via C-section, faced serious health complications, then got on stage just months later and delivered this show.

The film clocks in at 137 minutes and was directed by Beyoncé herself (she previously co-directed “Life Is But a Dream” and “Lemonade” and later directed “Black is King”).

It’s split between performance footage and behind-the-scenes moments, blending the past with the present.

We see rehearsals, but we also get cultural context.

You’ll learn about the history and significance of Black college culture, specifically historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), which Beyoncé uses as a key reference for her choreography and musical arrangements.

The Blueprint: Beyoncé’s creative control is everywhere. She builds her Coachella set from the ground up. There are no random choices.

From the moment you hear her voice over a pyramid of 100+ dancers, musicians, and steppers, you understand that this is more than a festival set.

It’s a tribute to Black history and artistry.

The decision to honor HBCUs is genius.

Beyoncé takes us inside her vision to recreate the energy of a Black college halftime show, complete with a drumline and majorettes.

The doc emphasizes how painstakingly she worked to get every detail right—from the custom yellow and pink outfits to the decision to remix her hits with old-school marching band sounds.

The preparation?

Grueling. Rehearsals ran for over eight months, twice a day, with Beyoncé guiding every aspect.

Even her family is involved: there’s a touching moment where her daughter Blue Ivy watches her mom rehearse, quietly singing along to “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”

Lesser-known highlights:

  1. Beyoncé’s diet for the show was a level of discipline most athletes wouldn’t dare attempt. For 44 days, she went with no bread, carbs, sugar, dairy, fish, meat or alcohol. You can hear the exhaustion in her voice when she admits she’s “still hungry” during a rehearsal.
  2. There’s a raw, vulnerable moment where she reflects on how much her body had changed after giving birth to her twins. She wasn’t sure if she’d ever regain her former strength, but she pushed through.
  3. A lesser-discussed fact: Coachella wanted Beyoncé in 2017. She delayed due to her pregnancy and then came back with this unforgettable performance.
  4. The yellow sweatshirt she wears during the second weekend of Coachella was designed by Balmain. The entire look is inspired by Egyptian queens—another nod to Black culture.
  5. At one point, Beyoncé reveals that she was juggling breastfeeding while rehearsing, managing both motherhood and megastardom in real-time. You see her trying to balance it all, something we rarely get to witness in pop culture.

Beyoncé showcases a wide range of emotions in the film. Her usual polished persona is there, but we also get fatigue, frustration, and moments of doubt.

There’s something deeply satisfying about seeing someone who seems invincible admit they’re human.

The Music: Even though we’ve all heard hits like “Crazy in Love” and “Formation” a thousand times, with this version the live instrumentation elevates it to new heights.

“Single Ladies” becomes a call-and-response with the drumline. “Diva” is laced with a sax riff that makes it feel more aggressive.

Destiny’s Child Renunion

At one point, Destiny’s Child reunites on stage.

It’s with Beyoncé back with Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams.

They perform a medley of their hits, including “Say My Name” and “Soldier.”

They hadn’t played since their 2013 Super Bowl show 5 years earlier.

Her setlist is stacked: “Drunk in Love,” “Partition,” “Freedom,” and “Love on Top” all get unique arrangements.

Even her lesser-known songs, like “Bow Down,” are given a new life with the added instrumentation.

There’s a goosebump-inducing version of “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” which has long been known as the Black national anthem, adding emotional weight to the entire performance.

Why it matters: “Homecoming” is about more than just Beyoncé—it’s a celebration of Blackness. She gives her platform over to the culture that shaped her.

There’s a beautiful moment when she says, “I wanted every person that has ever been dismissed, ever been marginalized, to feel like they were on that stage.”

Beyoncé doesn’t shy away from the political significance of her performance. We’re in a time when Black artists are expected to entertain but rarely encouraged to delve into their history.

She pushes against that, reclaiming space for Black voices in mainstream festivals like Coachella, which has historically been a predominantly white space.

Wrap-Up: “Homecoming” is a gift to her fans and showcases artistic direction. If you’re a Beyoncé fan, this doc is required viewing.

But even if you’re not, it’s impossible not to be moved by the sheer scale and depth of her performance.

Beyoncé delivers a bold cultural statement while inviting us to witness the sacrifice and hard work that goes into her iconic status. This is Beyoncé at her most raw, real, and regal.

Thanks for reading!

Rob Kelly, Chief Maniac, Daily Doc