Watch Billy Joel: A Matter of Trust: The Bridge to Russia, A Documentary Film

Billy Joel: A Matter of Trust: The Bridge to Russia is a documentary film that showcases Billy Joel's 1987 tour across the Soviet Union. It features live performances, behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with Joel and his band members, as well as Soviet music professors and journalists. The film opens with Joel talking about the opportunity to perform in the Soviet Union, which at the time was a groundbreaking and controversial move. It then cuts to footage of his arrival in Moscow, where he is greeted by enthusiastic fans and the local media. From there, the film follows Joel and his band as they travel across the country, performing in various cities and encountering both challenges and triumphs along the way.

Throughout the film, the music takes center stage as we see Joel performing some of his most beloved hits, including "Piano Man," "Uptown Girl," and "We Didn't Start the Fire," as well as lesser-known tracks like "Allentown" and "This is the Time." His concerts are full of energy and excitement, with fans singing along and dancing in the aisles. Meanwhile, backstage we see Joel and his band members dealing with everything from language barriers to technical difficulties to the occasional bout of homesickness.

The film also offers a glimpse into Soviet culture and society at the time. Interviews with Soviet professors of music shed light on the differences between American and Russian approaches to music education, while clips of everyday life - from street musicians to chess players to a visit to a local market - give a sense of what it was like to live in Soviet Russia in the late 1980s.

Perhaps the most emotional part of the film comes towards the end, when Joel performs his song "Leningrad" to a packed stadium in the city of the same name. The song, which tells the story of the life of a Russian soldier, struck a chord with Soviet audiences and became a hit on Soviet radio. Seeing Joel perform the song live in front of a Russian audience - many of whom are singing along and even shedding tears - is a powerful moment that captures the spirit of the tour as a whole.

Overall, Billy Joel: A Matter of Trust: The Bridge to Russia is a fascinating look at a moment in history when music truly bridged cultural and political divides. It's a must-see for fans of Billy Joel's music, as well as anyone with an interest in Soviet history or the power of music to bring people together.

Billy Joel: A Matter of Trust: The Bridge to Russia, A Documentary Film is a 2014 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 14 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.8.