Madame X, Madonna‘s 14th studio album, debuted at the top of the Billboard charts upon its June 2019 release, and the seven-time Grammy winner supported it with a 75-date jaunt through North America and Europe that concluded in March 2020, right before the onset of COVID-19. That tour instituted a strict “no phones” policy for its audiences, so the concert film Madame X (Paramount+), based around the shows in Madonna’s ex-pat home of Lisbon, Portugal, should have immediate visual and sonic appeal for fans of the iconic performer.

Madonna’s experimental record “Madame X,” creatively inspired by her life in Portugal, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard album chart but didn’t produce any hits.

A material girl gets political in a concert film directed by Ricardo Gomes and SKNX.

This film lays out the impressive staging of a dramatic tour but is intent on capturing its subject from only the best angles

Madonna has been Madonna for so long it’s hard to think of her as anything but that. Yes, she’s drifted into film and various business ventures through the years, but all in all, she’s simply herself. The iconic red lips and bleached hair, the songs promoting sexuality, unapologetically demanding freedom and liberty are all character traits

Despite a debilitating knee injury, Madge continues to strive for perfection.

In concert in 2020, Madonna doubles down on her artist’s moral commitment. But where’s the joy?