[MOVIE REVIEW] Taylor Swift tells her coming of age story in Miss Americana

Ivy Raya, Staff Writer|February 14, 2020

Fair Use Netflix Orginal Content via Youtube

Swift is in the studio recording her new album Lover

The documentary is filled with Swift’s history, starting at a young age and then watching her grow up, the documentary does a spectacular job telling her story and explaining her life.  On January 31, 2020, Taylor Swift released a film on Netflix called Miss Americana, exposing her struggles throughout her music career. It follows her throughout her life; whether it’s how she wrote her grammy-winning albums or how she dealt with the Kanye West scandal, the film showcases her best and most difficult moments. Over the years, Swift has had a lot of bad press regarding her political views and feuds with other celebrities; in this documentary, Swift finally gets to explain her point of view. 

The film starts with Swift present-day getting ready to release her hit album Reputation; she talks about the pressures that were put on her, which mostly came from herself. She spins the tale of her career, which started when she was thirteen.

The cinematic experience makes it seem as if you are there following her throughout her day and sharing her personal stories. In one scene, Swift is in a car and faced toward the camera, talking about the media’s influence on her choices. This type of angle with the choice of discussion allows the audience to feel as if they were in the car with her and relate to what she is saying.

Though this film is rated TV-MA, most of the topics talked about in the movie are focused on young people. Swift encourages new generations to get out and vote, and to have their voices heard. She addresses important issues, such as women’s and the LGBTQ community’s rights. When Swift talks about these topics, she spreads awareness, encouraging action from other people. The film exhibits Swift using her platform, allowing the audience to get a better understanding of her beliefs. Swift’s opinions showcase the idea of young people, being able to develop their own opinion, and speak of their personal feelings, something Swift didn’t do and regretted.

The film starts with a young, naive girl who is and only wants to please others and then shows a young woman who is set in her ways, who achieves her goals and advocates for what she believes in. It explains the hardships that come with fame and the rushes you get from the approval of others. You will still be about to understand this movie without knowing much of Taylor Swift before watching it. It is worth it to view this movie. It educates younger generations to speak their mind. If anything, it will help you gain a better understanding of who Swift is and how she came to be. 

Rating: ★★★★☆

The documentary is available on Netflix.