For Elton John, ‘Never Too Late’ isn’t just a documentary and song – it is a life mantra

NEW YORK (AP) — Capturing Sir Elton John’s 50-year career is a herculean task. Good thing his husband, David Furnish, and filmmaker R.J. Cutler were up for the challenge.

“Elton John: Never Too Late,” one of The Associated Press’ picks for the best music documentaries of 2024, was inspired by John’s final U.S. tour in 2022 — but quickly became a celebration of his life and work. It is filled with insight into his music, relationships — including a fiery friendship with John Lennon — troublesome childhood and struggles with addiction. It is bookended by myth-making performances at Los Angeles’ Dodger Stadium in 1975 and 2022.

For fans — and even John himself — it is revelatory viewing.

“I was struck by how good the music was in those first five years, because I very rarely listened to my music. I was very proud of that,” John told the AP this week. “And also, it brought back the incredible struggle that I had with success, having no foundation underneath it. I turned to alcohol, drugs and then had redemption by getting sober.”

Success and satisfaction are not one in the same, a fact that’s quickly established in the film. John had fame but hungered for connection. Having a family changed him.

“The greatest things in my life are my two kids and David. And the music comes secondary to them,” he says.

“The title ‘Never Too Late’ sums it up for everybody, not just me. You can change things. It’s never too late to change anything. Thank God I did. Because when I got sober, my whole life completely changed.” He’s now been sober for 34 years.

“It’s been glorious compared to what it was for about 10 years, 15 years,” he says of his past struggles with drug and alcohol addiction. “You know, I was still playing and touring while I was doing drugs. I never stopped. Because music kept me alive. Music kept me alive. It nearly killed me, but it saved me, if you get what I mean. I am just so proud because now I have a family.”

He views “Never Too Late” as not only a celebration of that journey, but an effective “piece of advocacy,” as he describes it. “You can have children, and you can be gay, and you can have a happy family. I couldn’t be happier.”

“Never Too Late” is also the title of an uplifting theme song written by Brandi Carlile, Andrew Watt, John and his longtime lyricist Bernie Taupin, currently shortlisted for the 2025 Oscars. Carlile was the catalyst; she paid John and Furnish a visit to their home in France, saw a rough cut of the documentary and felt moved to write a song.

“This song was about my life, and I found it very easy to write to,” he said of the collaboration. And its message is simple: “I’ve been through hell,” John says. “And I still come out fighting the other side. So, you know, it’s very true to what I am.”

And while his days of touring are behind him, the song “Never Too Late” is part of a “new era,” as John explains it. Fans can expect new music in the future. “There will be a new album sooner or later,” he said. “I’m dying to record new stuff.”

A project like “Never Too Late” allows for reflection. When asked what John hopes his legacy becomes 50, 100 years from now, he says simply: “I just want, on my tombstone to say, ‘He was a great dad.’ That’s what I want. The musical legacy will speak for itself. But from a human point of view, ‘He was a great dad and a great husband.’”

Last month, John revealed he had lost some vision after contracting an infection. “The eyesight is a problem. But we’re looking into treatment for it. I’m a huge optimist. I basically lost the eyesight in my right eye for the time being. My left eye is not the greatest,” he says.

He’s been adjusting to the condition for six months. “I’ve had, since this happened, such an empathy for sight- impaired people and blind people… When you see so many other people who just can’t see at all — I’m very blessed.”

John’s positivity is felt throughout “Never Too Late.” He’s uninterested in looking backwards; in the same way his record-breaking accomplishments are celebrated on film, so too are contemporary moments that spotlight his enthusiasm for his family and younger talent.

“For me, it’s all about what’s going to happen in the future, not what’s happened in the past,” he says. “With this documentary, we leave certain time behind. And now it’s all about starting again.”

“Elton John: Never Too Late” is available to stream now on Disney+.