Title: Taylor Swift: Miss Americana
MPAA Rating: TV-MA
Director: Lana Wilson
Starring: Taylor Swift, Andrea Swift, Scott Swift
Runtime: 1 hr 25 mins
What It Is: For over a decade now Taylor Swift has been in the public limelight. From starry-eyed teenage country star to now a pop superstar on the threshold of thirty. But what is it like to go from America’s sweetheart to a despised public figure? How does something like that happen to someone simply writing mostly harmless pop songs? Perhaps they saw through the facade of a woman who obviously had opinions but never expressed them. We get to hear the feelings and thoughts of the woman herself. And she’s just that…a woman. No longer the little girl singing about her fandom of Tim McGraw.
What We Think: Look. I’m not the audience for this. That’s clear from the crowds that gather at Sundance when the woman herself showed up. Most of the crowd was younger and female. That being said there are things about Taylor Swift I never would’ve guessed…and a LOT I didn’t know. Granted I don’t follow her or her career but there were some interesting perspectives offered. It’s all sort of by the numbers in its presentation and honestly Swift is what makes this even remotely interesting. I didn’t expect that. I fully expected a fluff piece and this does talk about things like her lack of fortitude in giving her opinion and her insecurities with that. That vulnerability really gave her some dimensions.
Our Grade: C+, Swifties…or whatever they called themselves are really going to like this. If you’re a fan I think this is sort of designed for you. For me, it is a competently made documentary that shines a light on a woman who is more then what the limelight displays. It’s on Netflix so maybe give it a watch if you’re interested.