critics consensus

It may not get as personal as some viewers might have hoped, but Becoming offers an uplifting look at a pivotal moment in its subject's public life. Read critic reviews

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Movie Info

Former first lady Michelle Obama discusses her life, hopes and connections with others.

Rating:

PG (Brief Language|Some Thematic Elements)
Genre:

documentary
Original Language:

English
Director:

Nadia Hallgren
Release Date (Streaming):

May 7, 2020
Runtime:

1h 29m

Cast & Crew

Michelle Obama
Self

Barack Obama
Self

Nadia Hallgren
Director

News & Interviews for Becoming

TV Premiere Dates 2020

View All

Critic Reviews for Becoming

All Critics (74) | Top Critics (34) | Fresh (69) | Rotten (5)

Michelle told her story with charm, grit, adventurism and several appalling book-tour choices of dress.

May 26, 2020 | Full Review…

Euan Ferguson
Guardian
Scrape away the gush and the swaggy fashion, and a fascinating portrait emerged of a rather unhappy and discontented high achiever.

May 18, 2020 | Full Review…

Camilla Long
Times (UK)
With Obama herself as narrator, it's a personal diary -- bereft of tension and short on surprises with a perpetually sunny guide treating you to an intimate but selective tour of her life so far.

May 13, 2020 | Rating: 3.5/5 | Full Review…

Sandra Hall
Sydney Morning Herald
The sad, unintended moral of Becoming is that if this country never sees a President Michelle Obama, it is our own fault.

May 12, 2020 | Full Review…

Josephine Livingstone
The New Republic
It's a slick look at the former first lady, out of the White House and carving out her life post-politics, but it's as polished and smoothed out as a campaign ad. It's a warm latte, delivered to you in your favorite mug.

May 12, 2020 | Rating: B | Full Review…

Adam Graham
Detroit News
If you loved the book, then you're going to love the movie... I found myself watching the film with a big, goofy grin most of the time.

May 12, 2020 | Full Review…

Claudia Puig
FilmWeek (KPCC - NPR Los Angeles)
Becoming is a welcome reminder that Michelle Obama continues to be a force for good in a world where that can sometimes feel like a resource in short supply.

February 16, 2021 | Full Review…

Alex Bentley
CultureMap
The movie hits some very familiar beats that are often seen in tour documentaries. There's a 'feel-good home movie' approach to the documentary, as opposed to a 'journalistic exposé' approach. Some people will have a problem with that, while others won't.

July 18, 2020 | Full Review…

Carla Hay
Culture Mix
It's definitely the most intimate portrait of Michelle Obama we've seen committed to film.

July 2, 2020 | Full Review…

Joel Keller
Decider
Becoming is educational, encouraging -- and becoming in every sense of the word.

June 8, 2020 | Full Review…

Martha K. Baker
KDHX (St. Louis)
If you're looking for something to watch to make you feel like the world will get better and that there's hope, watch Becoming.

May 28, 2020 | Rating: 4/5 | Full Review…

Rhodé Marshall
City Press (South Africa)
Watching a young black girl, giddy as she imitates the former First Lady's walk down a hall, we get the sense that the mere experience of being in the same space as Obama will change some of these girls forever. They light up the screen.

May 19, 2020 | Rating: 6.5/10 | Full Review…

Shannon M. Houston
Paste Magazine