Details from IMDB:
Miss Americana
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.
- Director
- Stars
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.
Initial Thoughts:
I was on a plane yesterday and realized I had never watched “Miss American” or “Taylor Swift Folklore: The Long Pond sessions” and while the latter got better reviews, I was in the mood for something shorter so I went with this. I know Taylor Swift provokes strong reactions in people, mostly love or hate, but I am a recent Swifty and I firmly believe she is a good person who does her best to make the world better, as such I will watch any documentary or concert film about her.
Main Points:
I knew most of what was in this documentary as Taylor has been incredibly popular, especially over 2023 and 2024, still there were some details I was unaware of, like how a stalker broke into her apartment and slept in her bed or that her dad is in charge of security and made sure she has armored cars wherever she goes. That’s not, primarily, what this documentary is about though, it’s mostly about how Taylor went from staying very neutral on any political subject to actively supporting a democratic candidate for the mid-terms in 2018. It was a prediction of sorts for what was to come, Taylor did everything she could do stop a republican senator from winning in Tennessee but sadly it was not enough. While Taylor does have a lot of influence, especially with younger people, it is not enough to affect the outcome of an election, at least not yet.
I enjoyed how the film showed Taylor’s journey from a somewhat shy kid who broke onto the country music scene at 16, to an adult who is willing to use her fame/money/influence to make the world better and stand up for what she believes in. It shows the struggles she went through with body image/weight, the whole Kayne West debacle that went on for years, her relationships with men, her closeness to her friends and her mom and her dedication to her fans and the incredible talent she has for writing/performing/producing her own music. Some of the personal interactions she had with fans were wild and I can see why she stopped meeting fans. I also felt bad for her as she has been torn apart by the media, the general public and of course the asshole radio DJ who groped her and was eventually found guilty.
It gives us a great behind the scenes look on her song writing process and for how her life went for a number of years. I loved how more mature Taylor has no problem cursing on screen and showing her feelings towards Trump and other people she doesn’t like. Taylor shows the aspects of the US that are truly broken and how people desperately want and need things to change. I will say that I think all of the Kayne stuff is a little too much of the film and I would have liked to see her spend more time on camera with her parents, friends and colleagues.
Final Thoughts:
I enjoyed this documentary and commented to my wife that I would love to see a new one. I’m sure Taylor would have a lot of say about the state of the US and the world, we could all use some of her positive attitude and her willingness to try and make things better. I give it 8 out of 10 and a big recommendation to any Swifty or anyone who enjoys a shorter documentary. I was a little sad to see it end and would have liked to spend more time with Taylor. As there is coarse language throughout and some mature subject matter ages 17+.