The Billy Joel: And So It Goes review reveals why this 2025 HBO documentary delivers genuine intimacy and musical depth. Susan Lacy and Jessica Levin’s focused direction transforms familiar biographical territory into something genuinely compelling and emotionally resonant.
What happens when you combine unprecedented access to a musical legend with the most vulnerable moments of artistic creation? You get documentary perfection. Billy Joel: And So It Goes (2025), directed by Susan Lacy and Jessica Levin, stands as one of the most compelling music documentaries in recent television history. This intimate two-part series follows the Piano Man from his Long Island roots to sold-out stadiums, capturing the grit, genius, and soul of William Martin Joel. While the film operates on familiar biographical territory, it succeeds because it never exploits its subject—every moment of revelation and musical exploration is handled with complete emotional authenticity.
Synopsis
A sweeping portrait of a true New York icon, this definitive documentary captures Billy Joel’s extraordinary journey from struggling musician to becoming one of America’s greatest singer-songwriters. The series includes Sarah (archival footage), childhood friends, and industry colleagues who witnessed Joel’s transformation from a young pianist playing in Long Island bars to the artist whose music became the heartbeat of a city and the soundtrack of a generation.
With rare archival footage and revealing new interviews, the film charts Joel’s rise through the music industry while exploring the personal struggles, creative triumphs, and contradictions that fueled his incandescent pop career. The documentary follows his evolution from ambitious young musician to legendary performer, showing how his authentic connection to working-class America created timeless anthems that continue to resonate across generations.
Plot & Themes
Billy Joel: And So It Goes operates on a deceptively complex premise: sometimes the most profound artistry comes from channeling personal pain into universal connection. The documentary structure serves as both chronological journey and emotional exploration of deeper questions about creativity, authenticity, and the price of fame.
The film’s genius lies in its careful balance between musical celebration and psychological examination. When Joel discusses his struggles with depression, addiction, and relationship failures, the documentary never treats these revelations as sensational tabloid material. These moments work because Lacy and Levin understand that true artistic insight comes from understanding the human behind the music.
Thematically, the documentary explores how working-class authenticity can create lasting art and how personal vulnerability becomes the foundation for songs that touch millions. Joel’s journey isn’t just about musical success—it’s about maintaining artistic integrity while navigating the complexities of fame and personal demons.
Cinematography & Visuals
The cinematography captures the intimate beauty of Joel’s creative process with visual techniques that serve both the biographical and musical elements perfectly. The visual style emphasizes the contrast between Joel’s public persona and private struggles, using archival footage and contemporary interviews to create increasing emotional depth.
The film excels in building connection through environmental storytelling. The sequences showing Joel’s childhood Long Island neighborhoods and early performance venues demonstrate excellent use of location photography. The camera work holds on meaningful moments of musical creation and personal reflection just long enough to create genuine emotional investment.
Musical details reward careful viewing. During performance sequences, attentive viewers will notice how Joel’s growing confidence and artistic maturity is reflected in his evolving stage presence and song arrangements across different decades.
Acting & Characters
Billy Joel delivers a compelling performance as himself, anchoring the documentary with his candid portrayal of a man reconciling his public success with private struggles. His interviews feel authentic and unguarded rather than rehearsed, creating genuine moments of vulnerability that illuminate both his music and personality.
Archival footage provides excellent support through appearances by Christie Brinkley, Elton John, and other significant figures from Joel’s life. Their contributions bring depth and outside perspective to his story without overwhelming his own narrative voice.
Contemporary interviews with music industry professionals and longtime friends round out the portrait with observations that balance admiration with honest assessment. Their scenes during the most revelatory moments demonstrate genuine affection while maintaining journalistic objectivity.
The supporting cast, including family members and former bandmates, brings authenticity without falling into hagiography, creating believable testimonials that serve the story rather than simply praising the subject.
Direction & Screenplay
Susan Lacy and Jessica Levin’s direction maintains perfect balance throughout the documentary’s nearly five-hour runtime. Coming from their experience with acclaimed HBO documentaries like Jane Fonda in Five Acts and Spielberg, the directors understood that biographical films require careful pacing that builds understanding without sacrificing musical appreciation. Every revelation and performance sequence is given space to resonate emotionally.
The documentary structure layers insight at multiple levels:
- Personal development that explores Joel’s psychology authentically
- Musical elements that feel researched rather than superficial
- Cultural components that build naturally from his working-class roots
- Emotional beats that never feel manipulative or exploitative
The script’s structure follows documentary conventions while subverting them through genuine artistic exploration. This creates familiarity that makes the unexpected moments of creative insight and personal honesty land with greater impact.
Sound & Music
The documentary’s audio design perfectly balances Joel’s iconic catalog with underlying emotional undertones to create a soundscape that mirrors his artistic journey. The music enhances rather than overwhelms the natural drama of his life story.
Sound design plays a crucial role in building emotional connection. The way piano melodies weave through interview segments, and how Joel’s voice shifts from confident performer to vulnerable human being, creates an immersive experience that places viewers directly into his creative world.
The use of silence deserves particular recognition. Key moments of personal reflection and musical creation are allowed to breathe without unnecessary narration, trusting audiences to connect with Joel’s emotional reality through his own words and music alone.
Conclusion & Verdict
Billy Joel: And So It Goes succeeds because it treats its biographical premise with emotional intelligence and respect for its subject. Every element—from performance footage to contemporary interviews to archival material—works in service of both musical celebration and psychological understanding without sacrificing either.
Strengths:
- Unprecedented access that creates authentic intimacy with Joel’s creative process
- Excellent archival footage that provides genuine historical context
- Thoughtful pacing that builds emotional connection while maintaining musical focus
- Honest exploration of personal struggles through artistic lens rather than sensationalism
Minor Weaknesses:
- Some biographical elements feel slightly familiar for the documentary genre
- Occasional pacing issues in the second part slow momentum briefly during chronological transitions
This documentary remains essential viewing for music fans and anyone who appreciates character-driven biographical storytelling. Billy Joel: And So It Goes works for audiences who enjoyed The Beatles: Get Back, What Happened Miss Simone, or Amy.
Rating: 8.5/10
Directors: Susan Lacy, Jessica Levin
TV Rating: TV-14 (for mature thematic material, substance abuse references, and language)
Starring: Billy Joel, with archival appearances by Christie Brinkley, Elton John, and others
For more documentary reviews, check out our analysis of other HBO original productions. You can also explore the film’s production details at the Internet Movie Database.
