'I Am Woman' (2019): Inspirational and Empowering

Go with your instincts. You’re the artist.

I Am Woman is a 2019 biographical drama about the life of Australian singer Helen Reddy. In her rise to fame, Reddy faces numerous challenges as she strives to build her career in a male-dominated industry. Her journey led to the creation of the Women’s Liberation Movement in the 1970s.

Every singer’s life is important. The late Helen Reddy impacted the world with her inspiring music, delivering a gratifying message for women. I have been exploring more of the world of music in the last year, and I Am Woman was an insightful history lesson. All singers need to think about their image and avoid following others' footsteps to success.

Filmmakers searched all over the world for the right actress to portray Helen Reddy. The journey commenced when they found Australian actress, Tilda Cobham-Hervey. Still new to acting, Cobham-Hervey had a lot of expectations to follow, especially in the eyes of this famous singer. She didn’t know a lot about Reddy, but the experience was eye-opening.

Cobham-Hervery is fantastic as the talented singer Helen Reddy. She conducted excellent research on the singer, studying Reddy’s physicality and vocals. While she did sing live, her vocals were dubbed by Australian singer Chelsea Cullen. The road to success wasn’t easy. Reddy found her voice and inspired women that they can do more.

I have become a fan of Danielle Macdonald. Lilian Roxon is my favorite supporting character in this film. Lillian is confident in getting Helen to the top, amplifying her driven personality through her work. That is a great example of talent agents. The duo was spectacular together, creating an enriching dynamic of their characters.

Evan Peters was trying too hard as Helen’s despicable husband and agent, Jeff Wald. He outright tells his wife that nobody wants her and pays more attention to other partners. I know filmmakers were getting the point across about Wald’s affiliation with Reddy, but his part could have been toned down.

The connections one makes in their careers are important. I adored the scenes with Helen and her young daughter, Traci (Coco Greenstone). More credits include Molly Broadstock, Chris Parnell, Jordan Raskopoulos, Matty Cardarople, and Liam Douglas.

I Am Woman is a music-centric film. I am always watching movies, and I’ve noticed a lot more films are music-based. Music plays in every sequence of I Am Woman. As one character describes it, “music connects and speaks with us.”

Unjoo Moon made a film highlighting the world of Helen Reddy, the power of music, and figuring out what we want. It was very important to Moon to ensure authenticity in Reddy’s story. This whole movie feels personal, based on Moon’s direction. With only six weeks to shoot the film, filmmakers recreated locations like Los Angelous to resemble the 60s, 70s, and 80s.

Before distribution to audiences, filmmakers previewed the film to Reddy and her family. The experience was uplifting and thought-provoking. Reddy, who had dementia, sang along and was touched by the experience of her life. She built more layers surrounding Reddy’s story, especially personal matters, like her young daughter.

As much as the entertainment industry craves image, it’s your job to take your career in the direction that makes sense. You've got to stand up for what you want, which is what Helen does. Helen has meetings with several record labels.

I Am Woman has an empowering ending thanks to the powerful song. Take a look at Helen Reddy’s history before watching this movie. I learned a lot about the amazing things Reddy did for women and the music industry.