★★★★
A look at iconic pop artist Taylor Swift during a transformational time in her life as she embraces her role as a singer/songwriter and harnesses the full power of her voice.
Classification: 15
"Taylor Swift is the music industry" states one new reporter during an informative montage of clips featuring praise, interviews, electric concert footage, and adoring fans. Taylor Swift is a brand, with records, producers, lots of money on the table so at first glance it could be easy to assume that this "insight" documentary of the record-breaking pop star is just another spoke to keep the wheel turning. It is in a way but not the fluff piece or hidden brand marketing you could expect from other artists but an honest, reflective look from a young woman at her experiences in having her life for the past decade underneath the spotlight in the largest media-driven country in the world. Miss Americana is not to sell or record but to examine how America treats its celebrities, views women's rights and behaviour and how the two can be punished if they deviate from the norm or speak out. Most importantly how Taylor Swift in her struggles has become a woman who has learned and healed from these pains to become someone who uses her position and influence to speak for a world she believes in and wants to fight for.
For fans, Miss Americana is a beautiful tribute to an artist that they love as the documentary goes into detail on Swift's emotional journeys around several aspects in her life beyond her music. While director Lana Wilson captures Swift's creative process; the songwriting and collaboration with other artists, the charismatic expression of her personality, the real power of the film is the reminder that Swift is a person who is fighting back for her voice to be more than just a product. The latter half of the film examining Swift's mind space during her sexual assault trial in 2017 and her public support for Democratic candidates in the American midterm elections in 2018. Both instances which made her a target for media attacks as Wilson and Swift make direct comparisons to the ostracisation of The Dixie Chicks for criticising George W. Bush and the Iraq War. Exploring this idea of what a "celebrity" and more importantly what a woman is in America, women are expected to conform to a certain image, to be desirable yet quiet and how the stages of Swift's career, these reinventions have come from her own recognition of what she wanted for her life. She's gone from country music to pop, breaking records, incredible show-stopping singles and performances, the film documents how she has transformed and the great difficulty that has come with each step. These are the parts of the film that really has the film feel beyond a corporate product as candid footage captures Swift fighting for her right to speak her mind against the "brand image", Swift's dislike for Republicans Senator Marsha Blackburn and President Donald Trump are made explicitly clear. Beginning her career as a teenager who was an easy representation of "conservative values" the beautiful, blue-eyed, blonde-haired innocent all American girl from Tennessee, Miss Americana is a demonstration of how these values placed on Swift were merely another tool and that her she wishes to speak her own mind on the issues than be a neutral emotionless sex appeal doll for audiences to pull to their whim. After years of cultural projection, abuse and being silenced, this film along with her recent activism for voting and women's rights is a bold proclamation of a woman and artist redefining herself in what is authentic to herself. Possibly her final recreation as Swift laments on how society and demand see so many female artists discarded for the shiny new thing but if anything Miss Americana is a testament to Swift's ability to endure beyond all obstacles.
Wilson uses a lot of access from new reports, home videos, and other sources to chart Swift's rise to fame as a teenager, chronicling briefly the disturbing nature that pop culture has when celebrities speak out their opinions. Looking deeply into the abuse both online and on television, of pundits and trolls revelling in Swift's humiliations and feuds. Kayne West, her romantic life, her body image are all things Swift opens up to the audience and speaks to how these were used to define her as a product, not as a person. A dehumanisation that we are all party to as I will shamefully admit cracking a joke or two about how every time Taylor Swift ends a relationship we get a new album, a joke that never is really funny and stigmatises the difficulty of maintaining some normalcy in a life of constant pressure and fame. Those raw emotions on display especially in relation to how Swift empathises with women's struggles against sexual violence are palpable for anybody regardless of fandom, the stark reminder that Swift is a human. Some may roll their eyes at the private jets, fancy homes and extravagant clothing but it's all the result of hard work and perseverance and Wilson's film takes many moments to highlight Swift's deep gratitude to her fans and their support. The vulnerability and honesty Swift puts forward not only craft a deeper connection with her supporters but successfully converts sceptics to not necessarily like her music but to respect her beliefs, her outlook and the importance of understanding this unchecked toxicity that corrupts our society.
It's probably been checked, adjusted, and monitored by a team of lawyers, publicists, and executives to make sure every iota of emotion maximises Swift's appeal on social media platforms and helps album sales. Maybe that's the cynic in me because it is so strange to see a celebrity of such capital open herself up to the audience, Miss Americana feels so authentic in its execution that it is probably the genuine latest rebellious expression from Swift. While male celebrities seem to have a pass to make controversial statements on all matter of subjects (the documentary revisits Kayne's misogynistic comments about Swift which sparked a twitter-wide trend "taylorswiftisoverparty") women are still treated as objects for sexually driven consumerism and are persecuted when they speak their mind. Swift faces abuse now, not for vanity, greed or selfishness but for voicing her opinion on subjects she has a great passion for, something that is the right of every person. Yet this disrupts the "image" that ideological groups have placed on her including conservatives, record companies and a public that hates being preached to by celebrities despite supporting a bankrupted, former reality television host who sits on a gold toilet to be their supreme leader. It's the hypocrisy and sexism of America plain as day as Miss Americana feels refreshing in showing justifiable anger to this inequality and how even Swift's celebrity status doesn't guarantee her voice can be heard beyond her lyrics.
Swift is turning thirty and yet she has achieved feats in ten years that millions couldn't come close to in fifty, and whether she sees the writing on the wall or a new beginning her way, Miss Americana comes across as a genuine reflection on what her impact has been and if it could stand for something greater. A fluff piece in places (there are many adorable shots of Swift's cats walking across her piano) Miss Americana focuses on the negative aspects of Swift's life and career to rebrand them as empowering against but doesn't go into great detail on every piece of her life. Mostly I'm just bitter the film didn't feature at least forty minutes about Swift starring in Cats, because I'm certain those that were arguing with Swift not to take important political stances would have been pushing her to star in the nightmare fuel of the modern age. My Vietnam flashbacks aside, the focus remains solely on Swift and her journey, her feelings, not digging up skeletons and pulling others (former relationships and friends) into the narrative, a conscious decision of respecting privacy. Wilson's film shows a deeply human side to someone who is worshipped worldwide but wants to reflect how here fame is not carte blanché for us to know every detail of her twenties. Impressive in its simple documentary techniques from how Wilson is able to construct a powerful narrative of a woman maturing through such public hardships, Miss Americana is a celebrity story worth its spotlight and speaks to the inspiring fortitude of Swift's moral character.
Director: #LanaWilson
Cast: #TaylorSwift
Release Date: January 31st 2020
Available exclusively on Netflix
Trailer:
Written review copyright ©CoreyBullochReviews
Images and Synopsis from the Internet Movie Database
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