Overview

• Part one of the two-part, five-hour film directed by Susan Lacy and Jessica Levin premieres on HBO Max on July 18; the second installment follows on July 25.
• Critics have lauded the documentary’s exhaustive, no-holds-barred interviews with Joel, who instructed filmmakers to “just tell the truth.”
• The film uncovers new psychological insights, revealing that “Vienna” was inspired by Joel’s estranged father; it also explores his mental-health struggles and past traumas.
• Daughter Alexa Ray Joel along with ex-wife Christie Brinkley described the viewing as an emotional whirlwind that uncovers previously unseen layers of his life story.
• Joel continues treatment for normal pressure hydrocephalus after postponing his tour, a health narrative that underscores the documentary’s timing.