Film Review: Nothing Compares reminds us Sinéad O’Connor wasn’t just an important artist, but a vital one

O'Connor provides a wry but unrepentant voiceover commentary on her life

Sinéad O’Connor's name is 'synonymous with courage and integrity', according to Kris Kristofferson in the documentary film, 'Nothing Compares'.

Nothing Compares

★★★★☆

Nothing Compares (15A) is a long-overdue film on Sinéad O’Connor, who is described by Kris Kristofferson, as he introduces her during the Bob Dylan 30th Anniversary Concert, as ‘a name synonymous with courage and integrity’. 

That encomium serves as O’Connor’s calling card throughout her career, both personally and creatively, as she leaves behind an Ireland that she likens ‘to an abused child’ and moves to London to establish herself as a singer-songwriter, and a rapid rise to global fame accelerated by her cover version of Prince’s ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’ (which the filmmakers, alas, aren’t allowed to use).

Equal parts icon and iconoclast, O’Connor — who provides a wry but unrepentant voiceover commentary on her life — was, at her peak, a force of nature who blazed a fiery trail, and Kathryn Ferguson’s film is full value when it comes to reminding us why Sinéad wasn’t just an important artist, but a vital one.

(cinema release)