Let the Canary Sing

Alison Ellwood’s spirited documentary Let the Canary Sing takes the audience on a nostalgic exploration of the life and career of legendary pop icon Cyndi Lauper, with a boisterous narrative anchored by the inimitable Lauper herself. The film traverses her upbringing in a lower-class Queens neighborhood through her rebellious youth pushing back against intolerance, all the way to her meteoric rise in the music scene crafting classic songs that are vibrant and catchy as well as socially resonant. Ellwood presents a revealing and honest Lauper alongside lively archival footage of her cheeky personality and many absorbing performances through the years. The result is a film that captures Lauper’s body of work as an outspoken feminist artist who has been a stalwart advocate and champion for others.

Director Alison Ellwood’s “Let the Canary Sing,” a straightforward documentary about the life and career of 80s pop icon Cyndi Lauper, would be another forgettable, pedestrian movie if not for its kooky and unconventional subject. Long-celebrated for her unusual style, many will know Lauper as the unique voice behind beloved songs like “She Bop,” “Money Changes Everything” and “Time After Time, but Ellwood shines a light on the personal and social activist side of the music star. It’s so nice to see a film give this likable songbird the cinematic stage for a change. The documentary chronicles Lauper’s childhood and early roots, from an abusive home environment that led to out of control drug use and other self-destructive behavior. She had a rough go of it while growing up in New York, but her story is one with a positive outcome. The most interesting parts of the documentary explore Lauper’s rise to stardom, beginning with her first gig as the lead singer for the band Blue Angel, to her role in starting a pop revolution with a female empowerment anthem that has stood the test of time. She had the idea to create a persona that leaned heavily on self-deprecation, with goofy jokes and a thick accent that exuded charm from the get-go. Lauper was one of the first artists who understood and embraced the music video medium to boost her career. The film is a celebration of her music, and Ellwood doesn’t shy away from using Lauper’s biggest hits as a soundtrack. The blaring intro chords from “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” turns the film into a vehicle for celebrating Cyndi’s cheerful, catchy pop songs that are as bubbly as she is. The documentary is traditionally structured and features interviews with family, fans, managers, professionals, and peers, completing a broad portrait of her life and career. It’s a film that is mainly focused on the music, which is the best angle to take. Many won’t be aware of Lauper’s tireless advocacy, but happily the film addresses her continued work fighting for important causes like feminism, LGBTQ+ rights, and diversity. Not only has she personally testified before Congress, Lauper was one of the first artists who insisted her videos be captioned for the hard of hearing, and she was a trailblazer who embraced and featured gay, transgender, and cross dressing people in her videos. Lauper has tackled social issues in her latest works, with song lyrics that speak about hot-button topics like abortion and abuse. She’s an artist who may be evolving with mixed critical and financial success, but she has always stayed true to herself. “Let the Canary Sing” is a loving tribute to a woman with a unique voice, a boisterous personality, and a natural raw talent that will leave a lasting legacy on American music.