Elton John: Never Too Late review – few surprises but plenty of joy in official life story

On the eve of his retirement, the much-loved musician revisits his rise to stardom and his evolution as a gay man in a flashback-filled documentary

Here is a snapshot of the great singer-songwriter and pop genius as he prepares to retire from touring; he is to play his final live show in the US at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, venue of his legendary 1975 concert, with many people in the vast crowd now wearing their own versions of his diamante Dodgers outfit.

Never Too Late shows him on tour, hosting his podcast with his husband, David Furnish, and hanging out with friends and family, with the film periodically flashing back to that period of his US breakthrough in the early to mid-70s. It was an era of staggering productivity with lyricist Bernie Taupin, dominating the album charts with multiple LPs, playing on stage with his friend John Lennon in New York for what was to be Lennon’s own live swan song. But Elton was also unhappy in his relationship with manager John Reid, abusing drugs, evolving towards acceptance of his own identity as a gay man (in his podcast he reveals he still has not got used to the word “queer”) and searching for love.