‘Andrea Bocelli: Because I Believe’ Review: An Italian Tenor Goes From Childhood Trauma to a Long Reign as Classical Crossover’s Easygoing King

For a documentary subject, Andrea Bocelli offers a compelling trifecta: the world's most celebrated operatic voice, the fascinating logistics of a blind individual navigating a globe-trotting career, and the sheer maintenance of a priceless vocal instrument. "Andrea Bocelli: Because I Believe" provides satisfying answers, revealing a man who conquers both artistic and everyday challenges with a blend of fierce resolve and gentle grace. The film, which features Bocelli and his wife/manager, Veronica, as executive producers, presents a life seemingly devoid of the tortured artist archetype. Instead, it suggests he has channeled early adversity into a profound confidence, making his existence appear almost charmed.

Director Cosima Spender skillfully juxtaposes contemporary concert preparations with biographical segments. The documentary visits the Bocellis at their sprawling Tuscan estate—a visual feast of rolling hills and Italian cuisine—and goes backstage at three major performances. These include a show at New York's Madison Square Garden and a concert at Rome's historic Terme Di Caracalla, the legendary site of The Three Tenors' performance, which Bocelli aims to reclaim as a soloist. A third performance takes place at a custom-built amphitheater in his hometown, a venue the film notes is open for a single, spectacular concert each year.

The film quickly establishes Bocelli's remarkable independence, showing him saddling his own horse (with a final check from a stable hand) and biking through city streets with a hand on his wife's shoulder. Veronica Bocelli offers a telling observation: "When I had the chance to meet other visually impaired people, I realized he was Batman." His backstory reveals a childhood marked by over a dozen surgeries for glaucoma before losing his sight completely at age 12. Yet, this potential trauma was overshadowed by his passion for opera, a love affair that began in youth and continues as he meticulously curates his setlists from vinyl records. His rise to fame came relatively late, after he turned 30, sparked by a fortuitous opportunity to replace the legendary Luciano Pavarotti on a tour with Italian artist Zucchero Fornaciari.

While the documentary largely portrays an idyllic "fairy tale," it briefly acknowledges past complexities, including archival footage of a first wife and a mention of a previous manager with whom there was a "clean break." These elements are not explored in depth, leaving some viewers wishing for a greater sense of narrative conflict. However, the core pleasure of the film lies in witnessing Bocelli's journey from a shaggy-haired talent in his 30s to the silvery-haired elder statesman he is today. His label president compares his current dignified presence to that of actor Omar Sharif. The physicality of his singing—his jaw dropping open in a manner reminiscent of Donald Sutherland in "Invasion of the Body Snatchers"—releases a sound that is both awe-inspiring and a testament to nature and relentless, six-hour daily practice. For his devoted fans, "Because I Believe" is a visually and audibly lovely experience, an extended happy ending best enjoyed with a glass of red wine.