Avicii: True Stories (2017) User Reviews

A dark story about the downside of being a famous artist in the cold music industry

[oden-97752 · 8/10 · 23 April 2018]

This documentary is a warning example to everyone who works with music and shows the non glamorous side of being a famous artist and how cold and brutal the music industry can be. Tim, an insecure, naive and introvert young guy who really didn't liked to be in the center of attention, had to fight against his anxiety night after night and pushed himself so hard that it eventually destroyed him. Add free alcohol, sleep deprivation and bad people around you, and you're in for a disaster to come.

I hope this documentary will help people to wake up and realize what's important in the music industry and that some people have to say stop when people are pushed too hard.

From the highest high to the lowest low

[m-kortenhoeven · 8/10 · 28 December 2018]

It has been a while since I saw this documentary, so some things might not be completely correct. I will give it a go anyway.

What makes this documentary so great, is that it really captures all important moments of his career, from the very beginning to almost the very end. It is not focussed on Avicii's music, but rather on his mind and the people around him. You see how the people he spends the most time with, are trying to exploit him for personal gain and Tim not being able to tell them no. Now please don't get the wrong idea when I say this, but the fact that this documentary has been released before Tim's death, makes it that much more powerfull. It has not been made with the specific purpose of trying to show why Tim has ended his own life, but rather to show how tough his life IS as an artist and him taking his own life after the release of this documentary only makes this statement that much more powerfull. Yet again, I say this with the outmost respect and in no way mean anything bad by it. After seeing this film, I feel like I got to know Tim. I encourage anyone to see this, as it truly captures some of his highest highs and lowest lows of a persons life!

Real and cruel

[lpyax · 8/10 · 11 December 2018]

Chances are that if you're watching this then you're a fan of Avicii, so get ready because this becomes emotional if you are. This documentary shows exactly what's the world of celebrities and DJ'S. It doesn't focus on how Avicii rose to fame (though it does shows it) but in what happened once he became the megastar he was. The tight schedules of touring and the pressure for releasing hit after hit changes everyone and in the case of Tim this was reflected in his health, both physical and mental. The hardest part of this is that it was night after night non-stop touring, barely sleeping and eating and working in making music... this lasted for eight years. In the process he faced the consequences that were obviously coming and that made him quit touring.

Devastatingly honest and brutally real, this is extraordinary cinema.

[Film96 · 10/10 · 27 October 2017]

DJ's and music producers live a life which many wish they had. A life of private jets, money and fame. However, as Avicii: True Stories shows, that lifestyle comes at a cost, and for the man behind the biggest name in Dance music, that cost became far more damaging than any loss of money or fame.

Avicii: True Stories shows the story of Avicii from the beginning, with a superbly chronicled time-line, showing the rise of success from the early days of Tim Bergling to the worldwide chart domination of Avicii, it's all in there.

Highlighting the immense health struggles that Tim suffered over the years, it suddenly becomes so clear as to why Avicii had to stop. The machine had beaten itself, the light was no longer to outshine the darkness, the madness of it all had finally reached its peak, and it hit that peak in devastating fashion, as shown in this extraordinary up-close-and-personal telling of Tim's career as a DJ and music producer.

It's a hard-to-swallow reminder that what we hear in his music, tales of uplifting nature filled with such positivity and joy, is not at all accurate to how Avicii is as a human being, as Tim. The trailer for the documentary quoted Tim saying: "Peoples perception of who Avicii is - isn't who Tim is" and it is that separation between artist and human being which proves to be so damaging, "the picture doesn't represent the painter".

The story-line of the documentary gives a sense of depth and shows the journey in a way that isn't too long to become uninteresting or too short to not be enough, it's perfectly shot and beautifully edited. We get to see it all, from the business aspects behind Levels to the incredible production process behind some of Avicii's biggest hits, Avicii: True Stories has everything and nothing is left unexplained, it's all there.

Avicii: True Stories is an emotional roller-coaster between pure euphoria and crushing struggle, with both shown in their most raw forms. The music brought so much joy to Avicii, but the lifestyle brought so much pain to Tim, it's an important lesson that what we see isn't always a true representation. This is a very unique piece of cinema, simply put - this is compulsory viewing.

This is a difficult watch

[OohLaLlama · 10/10 · 1 May 2018]

In light of, or in spite of, recent events-this is hard to watch. I actually find this heartbreaking. This is an excellent film, a litle unnerving in that some of the narrative is in the past tense(purely due to the timing), but very good. 'Fan' or not, and I wasn't as such, we've all heard his music.

The film was really informative and really well put together. You see how he worked and the love for the music. The struggles of the guy are almost palpable though throughout. I have experienced addiction, etc and I can get, in a small way, how difficult things must have become. I don't know how he did it, there really is only so much a person can take. I just imagine him hating the drinking, the lifestyle, but having to carry on. Night after night after night...All the way through, I felt stressed out and anxious myself and that's, what, an hour and a half

There's definitely a story there and a sad one at that

Real life drama

[webwizardbe · 7/10 · 24 April 2018]

Even if your not familiar with dance music or don't like "Ibiza"-sounds (I hate the sound), this docu is worth the watch. It's an as honest possible film about the drama of being the biggest superstar in a certain music scene, you have to do your thing... It's difficult writing a review for this docu without spoiling, but I promise you, there's a real life drama story behind it that unfolds. This ain't just a music docu, it's a drama docu about a human being influenced by his surroundings. I watched the movie just before the tragic news a few days ago, and those who wanna know why, well I think this docu gives a good hint what happened on that vacation in the resort.

A Sad Sad Story

[clintstevens · 10/10 · 21 April 2019]

Before watching this documentary, i had no idea who Avicii was.

It was heartbreaking to watch this fragile soul rise to meteoric fame and not be able to survive it. He may have had emotional and mental issues, but that isn't what killed him. It was the leeches and hangers-on who saw him as a meal ticket and wrung every last dollar out of him before he just couldn't take it any more. I am sure none of them blame themselves and only feel sorry for the fact that they have lost their sources of income. They should all be ashamed of themselves.

A good film which has become a must-watch now. (Spoilers, but this is all in the news)

[RareMovieCritic · 7/10 · 22 April 2018]

I watched this film 2 days after the announcement of Avicii's death, but we still don't know what the cause of death is. Avicii was 28 years old - way too young to die.

It is a story of too much too soon, but there is no way the filmmaker could've predicted this - Avicii wanted out, he wanted to quit touring, music, alcohol, the party-life, everything. We see it in the film, how little he cared for fame and fortune, how he lacked the maturity to understand the consequences of his actions (cancelling tours and concerts) and that he wasn't just a musician, but an employer whose employees depended on for their income.

This film is ominous without the benefit of foresight, it's a warning without being preachy, it is what it is because they did not know what was to happen next. It ends on a happy note, an optimistic one of Avicii finally getting his way. Shots of beautiful beaches where Avicii can relax and play in the sand, where he can make music and be himself and vacation, not work to make the music for someone else's vacation. The film was released in late October (2017) and six months later, while on vacation in sunny Oman, he passed away.

It is rare that real events (news) would elevate the rating of a film, but in this case it has. The death of Avicii shows that what was shown in this film was real, the stress experienced was real, not exaggerated by the film-maker, that the health consequences were real, not made up or exaggerated by either side (not Avicii trying to get out of obligations or by the director wanting to make the film better.)

The thing that this film has that other films (made after Avicii's death) won't have is that it wanted to capture the life of Avicii and tell a story, not a money-grab by people trying to capitalize on his death. There will be more documentaries about Avicii, surely, but their motives and the timing will be suspect.

I recommend this film for everyone, not just fans of Avicii/EDM.

As a big fan of Avicii, I didn't know what he was going through

[jamiebuck-29341 · 10/10 · 29 October 2017]

Having loved and idolized Tim for nearly 8 years and seeing him live, i really didn't know what he was going through. Shows what he had to go through with growing into a huge icon and the downsides of touring 24/7. This film has really made me understand why Tim has retired from live shows as doing over 850 shows in the space of 9 years is incredible. I highly recommend this film to any avicii fan or any music fans as it really does show what was happening behind the scenes of his personal life. I even took my mum (whom is at the age of 50, and doesn't mind tims music) she enjoyed it. I really do hope this comes out on DVD, this needs to be seen and is a lesson in life in my opinion.

Fame

[aboody-84 · 27 April 2018]

Documentary shows you that sometimes fame and working on entertaining people may have a negative effect on person especially at young age

The heat from the spotlights burns like Hell

[Fenrir_Sleeps · 6/10 · 1 March 2022]

This one is a true oddity. Apparently meant to be a long letter of explanation/apology aimed at fans only, detailing on why Avicii decided to stop doing live shows from 2016 on, "Avicii: True Stories" becomes, perhaps unknowingly, one of the best insights into the crumbling mind of a world-renowned celebrity.

The cannibalistic world of super-stardom has always made its fair share of victims. These often try to find sanctuary in self-destructive behaviours to try to ease themselves from the burdens of the big spotlights: besides Tim Berg, names like Amy Winehouse or Whitney Houston also come to mind as recent cases of celebrities who collapsed under the weight of their own fame.

As everyone knows, Tim Berg, the man behind Avicii, would also ended up taking his own life just a few months after this documentary's release. His suicide drapes the behind-the-scenes footage shown in quite a heavy cloak. Indeed, Avicii, the performer, is only present during "True Stories" as something only seen from a distance for most of its running time. Director Levan Tsikurishvili (almost, we dare say, premonitorily) has decided to focus not on the countless DJ parties he threw, or even on the creative process behind his music making, but on the quiet moments that came after each live show instead, when Tim was allowed to shed his persona's skin and become himself again. As his true self, he vents out, over and over again as the years go by, how the constant pressure of having to perform live (something he openly admits he hates doing) is taking its toll on him, but how he is not allowed to step down from it because of the merciless coaxing from his label and booking agent.

After Tim's untimely demise, "Avicii: True Stories" became something of interest not only for fans who demanded an explanation for his withdrawal from live shows. Arguably, it has also become one of the best documentaries that came out in recent times on mental health (or lack thereof), and the dire costs of being thrown into the sphere of big music entertainment.

R.I.P Tim "Avicii" Bergling

[david-sundstrom · 10/10 · 21 April 2018]

A giant has left us, we will never know exactly why, but this documentary comes real close to answering the question.

R.I.P Tim, you will be missed but never forgotten.

More acces than insight

[paul2001sw-1 · 5/10 · 25 April 2019]

Avicii was a D.J. and artist, who achieved enormous success but who struggled under the immense workload he agreed to take on. He took to drinking heavily, retired, and eventually committed suicide. It's a tragic story, but this account of his life is not particularly interesting or insightful. For a start, there's no disection of his musical talents - indeed, I don't know if the licensing fees were too expensive, but unusually for a film about a musician, frustratingly little of his music is even heard. Secondly, most of the film comprises Avicii sitting around, miserable, complaining about life, something we are shown at excessive length. It's unclear why he agreed to be filmed having these conversations; moreover, the film cuts abruptly from his long-awaited retirement to a statement that he died, without any explanation of why the former evidently did not bring the release he craved. Having watched it, I can see how he grew tired of touring; but I still don't really know why he was considered great, or why he felt his life was no longer worth living. Perhaps someone else will one day make another film that answers these questions.

Tim, we miss you!

[thomasball-15458 · 10/10 · 15 May 2018]

We get really close to him and his struggle to recover and try to figure out what really brings him joy. The movie also gives us insight into an often derided art form.

Good documentary. Sad outcome.

[yannickmuls · 8/10 · 20 September 2018]

Avicii gives you a honest look into his life. It's a sad story about a genious musician who cant handlle life in the spotlights. So sad if you know what happens shortly after. But still a really good documentary and worth to watch.

beautiful

[tomcomer-41751 · 9/10 · 6 May 2018]

A fitting tribute to one of the worlds greatest djs with a hint of emotion, avicii true stories really nails the mark with sufficient plays by plenty of beautiful musicians and artists. A must watch to pay tribute to the one waas, greatest dj of all time

Amazing,true and I recommend it to everybody

[mariosudic · 10/10 · 27 October 2017]

Everything in this movie is just awesome. Especially for someone who likes good, melodic EDM music and also for someone who has been into making and producing. On the other hand, the movie is just great for everyone else, who has no clue about anything in music industry. I don't wanna spoil anything, but getting Tiesto, David Guetta and other famous, and for Me, with Avicii himself, also the greatest DJs and producers into this story line is also amazing on so much levels. And at the very end, I just wanna say that, this life story, this amazing life path is something that everyone should see, no matter do they like this music genre or not. For Me (big EDM listener and fan) this movie is something I've been waiting for. I just don't like the end, because I think, this last concert should last longer..

So True

[mihai_alexandru_chindris · 8/10 · 29 May 2018]

Avicii, the one who shaped electronic music in unprecedented ways, has left us with the memory of his songs. Beyond being a legend in this industry, I've always admired his humbleness and sincerity. I know growing and living as an introvert is a hard task to endure, I am aware of this myself, cause I am an introvert too, but what striked me was the way he managed to overcome all the odds and rumors surrounding him, by pushing his limits and always pursuing the next level. His alcohol addiction looks so shocking to people, like he was the only one ever addicted to this kind of thing, but he did it for the reason to forget about the drama inside his head and enjoy the present moment while he was on stage. He may now be singing in heavens, but at least we are left with the remembrance of his everlasting music.

Very good documentary of a genius who passed away way too soon

[airharm · 10/10 · 2 June 2022]

I'm glad they recorded all this footage of Avicii behind the scenes, before I started watching this didn't think they'd have all this film. Very amazing, well done, can't believe this came out in 2017 and just watched or heard about it now. Was a fascinating look at Tim and what he was going through, and his eventual struggle/stress/breakdown from his touring/work.

What i found most interesting was a look at his obvious anxiety since i myself and know others out there who have the same problems. He seemed like such a genuine good dude, too bad it ended the way it did, but he will forever be a legend, up there with Michael Jackson IMO.

I don't think many people out there know this film exists else it would have much much more views, very well done, thank you, RIP Avicii, i saw you live at EDC years ago and it was the most memorable performance out of the entire event, i'm glad i was able to see your genius at work.

Love you man.

This is a great story for inspire youth generation

[ngwenkai · 10/10 · 26 April 2020]

Tim Bergling was happy to be him self but not fully Avicii. " Live the life that you will remeber " The truly musical who inspired and change our life.

Sad but True

[stretfordenders · 10/10 · 24 April 2018]

This film reveals not only the true Avicii (Tim) but also what might have led to his untimely death and how warped the world has become with success and money RIP Avicci your music will live in peoples hearts forever. Goodnight and God Bless you absolute angel xxxxx :(

Interesting and Insightful

[sumantoakatoto · 8/10 · 29 August 2020]

Lol wtf, the guy who said this is not interesting or insightful. This documentary movie is interesting and insightful especially for everyone who loves EDM or just interested to EDM and party scenes besides of his career story as 'one of the greatest EDM producers and DJs' from zero. The story mostly tells about his struggle from suffering pyhsical and mental illness for several years behind the scene of EDM superstar named AVICII, indeed because it's to emphasize the answers of "why tf did he retire at the age of 26?" and all his issues before his death. And also, you can learn how he became succesed and not to forget his mistakes by watch this documentary movie.