The documentary has been touted as a candid behind-the-scenes look at the superstar's career and private life.
But some critics have dismissed Beyonce's self-produced film Life Is But A Dream as nothing more than a 'vanity project' designed to to keep the public interested in the star's many pursuits.
Some question whether the HBO film, which aired on Saturday night, is nothing more than a flagrant piece of self-promotion from the artist known as Queen Bey.
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'I had to stop pretending that I have it all together and if I'm scared, be scared:' Beyonce offers inside look into her career and private life in new bare-all documentary
A critic at Entertainment Weekly wrote: 'Why don’t we ever see her — even in bed in the middle of the night — without beautiful, flowing, perfectly styled hair?' stating that the film is 'a delicate mix of the calculated and confessional, designed to let us just far enough into Knowles’ world to keep us interested in her next tour, album, soda allegiance, etc.'
Philly.com was harsher, declaring: 'It fails on virtually every front. Like other celebrity hagiographies on heavy rotation on E! or the Biography Channel, Dream is little more than an exercise in self-mythification, sold, a little cynically, as an intimate look at the artist's naked soul.'
But the reviews weren't all bad. Some critics were impressed with the film, including People.com, which praised the documentary for 'being full of new and exciting moments'.
The HBO film, called Life Is But A Dream, offers a kaleidoscopic view of the megastar's life, composed of home movies from the singer's childhood, webcam confessionals, concert footage, behind-the-scenes snippets, and interview segments from a sit-down interview.
Baby bump: The star revealed her belly from when she was pregnant with daughter Blue Ivy
Baby growing: The film shows footage of Beyonce's sonogram
Video diaries: The star recorded a series of webcam confessionals for the film
The 90-minute movie, which aired on Saturday night, includes footage of Beyonce and her one-year-old daughter Blue Ivy, touching moments of her and her music mogul husband Jay-Z, and a behind-the-scenes look at the preparations for her performances at various music awards.
The movie, produced and starring the famous songstress, is peppered with emotion throughout, most notably when the singer opens up about her miscarriage prior to falling pregnant with Blue Ivy.
The miscarriage was kept secret from the public until Jay-Z referred to it in his song Glory, released after their daughter's birth.
In the documentary, Beyonce touched on the topic briefly, saying, 'It was the saddest thing I've ever been through.'
'My life is a journey. ... I had to go through my miscarriage, I believe I had to go through owning my company and managing myself ... ultimately your independence comes from knowing who you are and you being happy with yourself,' she said.
See the bump? The singer put to rest rumours that she used a surrogate to carry her baby Blue Ivy
Baby bling: The singer embellished her stomach with a stylish body chain in one shot
For the star, music was her salvation after suffering the miscarriage two years ago.
She is heard singing 'the saddest song I've ever written', with the lyrics revealing: 'I guess love just wasn’t enough for us to survive. I swear I swear I swear I tried. You took the life right out of me. I’m so unlucky I can’t breathe. You took the life right out of me. I’m longing for your heartbeat, heartbeat.'
But Beyonce found joy again when she fell pregnant with Blue Ivy. Part of the film shows footage of a sonogram, Beyonce's growing bump and grainy video of the singer posing nude as she neared her due date.
The film even shows Beyoncé in the hospital room as she prepares to give birth.
The singer and her husband look giddy with excitement as her mother Tina Knowles sets her daughter's hair in curlers.
'I felt God was giving me a chance to assist in a miracle,' she says of the birth.
Inside look: Beyonce proudly shows off her baby daughter who looks equally like her and Jay-Z
Happy grandad: Beyonce's father is shown holding Blue Ivy when she was just a baby
Blue Ivy makes frequent appearances throughout the film as her famous mother holds her close and shows her off to the camera.
Beyoncé dismisses the rumors that she used a surrogate to have her daughter - who she reveals was unplanned - as 'the most ridiculous rumor I’ve ever had about me.'
She adds that although she realises there are 'crazy celebrities' who do outlandish things for attention - she would never make light of having a child, adding: 'I respect mothers and women so much and to be able to experience bringing a child into the world – if you’re lucky and fortunate enough to experience that – I would never take that for granted.'
Doting mom: The singer shows a very close bond with her first child in the TV film
Baby girl: She even credits the one-year-old for helping her complete the documentary
Beyonce opens up the door just a crack to her relationship with music mogul Jay-Z, offering a small glimpse into the couple's charmed life that will no doubt please fans of the singer.
'It’s every woman’s dream to feel this way about someone,' says Bey, talking about her relationship with the rapper.
Although Jay-Z is hardly heard from in the film, there are some sweet moments that clearly depict the couple's love for one another. At one point Beyoncé is seen toasting Jay-Z for his 37th birthday in 2006 at a dinner with his closest friends, telling him: 'You’ve taught me so many things.
'You’ve given me so much in life and this is not enough. It’s not enough I can give you. I just want you to be happy. And every year, I’m even more in love with you and I want to spend everyday of my life with you. Happy birthday and I thank God for you every day.'
True love: The couple are shown singing Coldplay's Yellow at a restaurant
Moral support: The singer's husband is shown supporting her backstage
Peace out: The couple in one of their more intimate moments
In the most touching moment, the couple coo to each other as they sing along to Coldplay hit Yellow at a bar, written by their close friend Chris Martin.
'Jay-Jay I love you so,' she sings.
The pair are also seen on holiday together, enjoying a rare quiet interlude on a boat in an exotic locale.
On holiday: The actress is shown looking happy and relaxed while on holiday with her husband
Secret getaway: Beyonce shares her boat vacation with fans after went to a remote location
Time out: The couple are shown in their candid moments, sharing a glass of wine together
The film offered a candid inside look into the star's childhood in Texas, including home movie footage of Beyonce as a little girl playing with bees.
It's Quite a prescient scene considering her adult nickname Queen Bey.
She's also shown singing and giggling with her younger sister Solange and Destiny's Child group mate Kelly Rowland.
Aren't they cute? Beyonce, her sister Solange and a friend in grainy home movie footage
Threesome: Beyonce, her sister Solange and Kelly Rowland sing in the kitchen
The dream begins: Beyonce flashes back to her younger years
Beyonce also talks about firing her father, Mathew Knowles, as her manager.
'My dad knew that I needed his approval,' Beyoncé says.
'And I think my father wouldn't give it to me. Because he kept pushing me. And kept pushing me. And kept pushing me. Every time my dad pushed me, I got better and stronger.'
When she cut professional ties with him, she says it was because she needed independence.
Missing piece: Her daughter Blue Ivy helped her see connections in her documentary Life Is But A Dream
Backstage: Beyonce is seen looking at her outfits for a performance
'I needed a break, I needed my dad,' she says. I had to let go.'
The singer also opens up about her female friendships, and shows a slight feminist bent:
'I love my husband, but it is nothing like a conversation with a woman that understands you. I grow so much from those conversations,' she says.
Queen Bey: Beyonce is seen in behind-the-scenes tour footage
Look at me: The singer recorded a number of video diaries to be featured in the film
'It’s difficult being a woman. It’s so much pressure, and we need that support sometimes,' Beyonce says. 'We’re all going through our problems, but we all have the same insecurities and we all have the same abilities and we all need each other.
'Women have to work much harder to make it in this world. It really pisses me off that women don’t get the same opportunities as men do, or money for that matter.
'Because lets face it, money gives men the power to run the show. It gives men the power to define our values and to define what’s sexy and what’s feminine and that’s bullshit. At the end of the day, it’s not about equal rights, it’s about how we think. We have to reshape our own perception of how we view ourselves.'
Can we change that? Beyonce is shown in the recording studio
Working hard: The mother is seen in dance rehearsals
Practice: Beyonce is shown singing her song Listen in the car
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