Becoming (2020 documentary film)

Becoming
Film poster
Directed byNadia Hallgren
Produced by
CinematographyNadia Hallgren
Edited by
  • Erin Casper
  • Nathan Punwar
  • Aaron Wickenden
Music byKamasi Washington
Production
companies
Distributed byNetflix
Release date
  • May 6, 2020 (2020-05-06)
Running time
89 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Becoming is a 2020 American documentary film directed by Nadia Hallgren about the former First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama.[1] The film was distributed on Netflix and produced by Higher Ground Productions.[2] The documentary is partly based on her bestselling memoir of the same name, released in 2018.[3] It was released on Netflix on May 6, 2020.[4][3]

Hallgren followed Michelle Obama through her 34-city book tour after Obama's memoir Becoming was published.[2] The documentary features footage of Obama's travels, talk-shows, and her work during her tenure as the First Lady.[1]

Reception

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 93% based on 74 reviews, with an average rating of 7/10. The website's critics consensus reads: "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."[5] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 66 out of 100, based on 18 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[6]

In a reaction to Melania Trump's Melania (2026), streaming of Becoming rose sharply in February 2026.[7][8]

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Nominee(s) Result Ref.
2020
Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special Lauren Cioffi, Katy Chevigny, Marilyn Ness, Priya Swaminathan and Tonia Davis Nominated [9]
Outstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program Nadia Hallgren Nominated
Outstanding Cinematography for Nonfiction Programming Nominated
Outstanding Music Composition for a Documentary Series or Special (Original Dramatic Score) Kamasi Washington Nominated
2021
Grammy Awards Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media Becoming – Kamasi Washington Nominated [10]

References

  1. ^ a b "Review: Netflix's Michelle Obama documentary Becoming is nothing more than a commercial for the former first family". Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  2. ^ a b Coleman, Nancy (April 27, 2020). "Michelle Obama's Memoir 'Becoming' Will Be a Netflix Documentary". The New York Times.
  3. ^ a b Bradshaw, Peter (May 4, 2020). "Becoming review – tantalising tour of Michelle Obama's life". The Guardian. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  4. ^ "'Becoming' Review: If Michelle Obama Isn't Running For Something, Someone Needs To Tell This Netflix Film". May 4, 2020. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
  5. ^ "Becoming (2020)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Retrieved October 10, 2021.
  6. ^ "Becoming Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on May 18, 2020. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  7. ^ Buck, Ivy (February 2, 2026). "The 'Melania' movie audience: Older white women". NPR. Archived from the original on February 6, 2026.
  8. ^ Lee, Benjamin (February 4, 2026). "Michelle Obama documentary rises 13,000% in views as Melania film opens". The Guardian. Archived from the original on February 6, 2026.
  9. ^ "Becoming". Emmys.com. Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  10. ^ William, Chris (November 24, 2020). "Grammy Awards Nominations 2021: The Complete List". Variety. Retrieved November 24, 2020.