Miss Americana tells us the story of Taylor Swift in HER own words. It is her version of her life, where we find a vulnerable, craving for normality girl. She shares her past struggle with eating disorders and her loneliness.
Pleasing Others
Taylor Swift confesses that she always lived to please others. Her goal was for people to like her. Considering her age at the time she is talking about, there isn't that surprising. She was a teenager. Isn't what they all want?
What is more revealing is how hard she can be on herself. It is challenging to picture a beautiful girl, that can not even stand looking at her pictures. She kept scrutinizing everything, looking for flaws.
Studio moments
A significant part of the documentary is in the recording studio. We watch Taylor Swift creating her music, and we get a good idea of her creative process. It is beautiful to see the birth of some of her songs.
These moments are when we feel that she is really being herself. Her defenses are down, and she is focused on her music. We can feel closer and have a grasp of how her life is. The intimacy of these moments makes you feel like you are part of some kind of inner circle.
Kayne West Incident
She remembers how she was interrupted on stage, at her VMAs winning speech by Kanye West. Obviously, it was one of the hardest situations for her. Yet, in my opinion, despite the reasons that take him to do such a thing, the moment says more about him than about Taylor Swift.
We shouldn't forget that she was 19 years old, and we can be looking at a traumatic experience here. Kanye's behavior was unacceptable, and I can't imagine how bad she felt.
The princess fall…
The film also shows us how, at some point, she stopped being America's golden girl, and the press seemed to turn on her. Nonetheless, it seems to me that her bigger problem was always herself. The way she deals with everything.
One of the saddest moments is when she reveals that after she earns an award, her thoughts were, "Shouldn't I have someone to call right now?". It's not new that celebrities tend to be very lonely sometimes, but the way she says it is heartbreaking.
The little girl grew up
We follow the growth of a girl, her political awakening, and all that happened, good and bad, that helped her become a woman. A strong one, I believe.
The down point of the film is the fact that it is only her point of view. We would like to see her mom and dad talking, or other people that know her best. We don't have access to her background, and we don't really understand a person without that. Why is she the way she is? How was she before the fame? How was her personality formed? The documentary could have gone further.
It seems to me that the director never confronted her nor depth the information. They just let her talk, how and about what she wants. I felt that there was so much more to unfold…
A weapon to recover from bad press
I read somewhere a review that says, "It's brand management dressed up as insight."
I'm not sure it is, or at least, I'm not sure it worked. Taylor Swift seems likable here, but I don't think this is enough to change the mind of those who already hate her.
To me, it was good. I liked the film, and I liked her. Watching this made me have more respect for someone that, until now, meant nothing to me.
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