'Luther: Never Too Much' - Luther Vandross Tells His Personal Story in Documentary by Dawn Porter

Luther: Never Too Much by Dawn Porter (screenshot)

From Dawn Porter, the acclaimed director of ‘John Lewis: Good Trouble,’ the documentary ‘Luther: Never Too Much‘ chronicles the life and career of the late R&B icon Luther Vandross. Featured in the film are fellow singers Mariah Carey and Dionne Warwick alongside archival footage of Vandross telling his own personal life story.

The documentary had its world premiere at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival and went on to screen at other film festivals, including Atlanta Film Festival, Tribeca Film Festival, and Seattle Film Festival.

Release Date

Directed by Dawn Porter, ‘Luther: Never Too Much’ will have a nationwide sneak previews through AMC theaters on October 30, 2024 and will open in theaters throughout North America starting on November 1, 2024. The documentary will premiere on CNN, OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network, and Max in 2025.

Synopsis

Luther: Never Too Much the documentary film chronicles the story of a vocal virtuoso. Using a wealth of rarely seen archives, Luther tells his own story with assistance from his closest friends and musical collaborators including Mariah Carey, Dionne Warwick, Valerie Simpson and Roberta Flack. The film relives the many stunning moments of Vandross’ Grammy® award-winning musical career, while exploring his personal life, health struggles, and a lifelong battle to earn the respect his music deserved.

Reviews

Ronda Racha Penrice in a TheWrap review praised the documentary, writing, “‘Luther: Never Too Much’ will have fans dancing in their seats, playing karaoke to some of his best slow songs, or in the mood for love, which is how his friends, family, and Porter want him to be remembered most.

Tomris Laffly in an IndieWire review gave the film a grade of B+, writing, “Through a wealth of rare archival material and rich interviews, Porter’s documentary lovingly chronicles an American treasure’s legacy.”