Miss Americana follows Swift and her life over the course of several years of her career. "[33] The New Yorker's Amanda Petrusich concluded that the "beautiful" film is "far more interesting than any acceptance speech, red-carpet interview, or paparazzi photo". [78][79] Emily Strayer, of the American country music band The Chicks, commented on the documentary, stating: "The power she [Swift] has right now to change things is way beyond any power we [The Chicks] ever had. Petersen added that Swift refuses "to hide, and thus continue to normalize, the behaviors that perpetuate it". He concluded that he has "learned so much from Taylor's artistry over the years, and remain[s] a huge fan". [13] Six days later, an official trailer to the film was released on YouTube and on Swift's social media accounts. [Intro] Bm A G A [Verse 1] Bm You know I adore you, I'm crazier for you A Than I was at sixteen, lost in a film scene G Waving homecoming queens, marching band playing A I'm lost in the lights Bm American glory faded before me A Now I'm feeling hopeless, ripped up my prom dress G Running through rose thorns, I saw the scoreboard A And ran for my life (Ah) [Pre-Chorus] G Bm No cameras … Miss Americana (also known as Taylor Swift: Miss Americana) is a 2020 American documentary film directed by Lana Wilson, that follows American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift and her life over the course of several years of her career. [6] She was provided with a list of potential directors, of which Wilson was one. With Taylor Swift, Andrea Swift, Scott Swift, Joel Little. From now on, whenever that happens, I'll be repeating a line Swift says in the film—We do not do that anymore, because it's better to think you look fat than to look sick". [87][88][82], Miss Americana fueled several conversations about eating disorders, body dysmorphia, exercise anorexia, self-esteem, toxic internet culture and sexual assault. [34] In his critic's pick review, IndieWire's David Ehrlich wrote that "the power of Miss Americana" is "watching someone who stands astride the world gradually realize that her art is the only thing that she can control", adding that Wilson is "so good at splitting the difference that some of her documentary's most humanizing moments are beautiful for how they contradict Swift's intention". [9] Big Machine denied the accusations in a statement. [CDATA[ [38] Beth Webb of Empire opined that "nothing new seems to break through her [Swift's] barriers" in the documentary. "Only the Young" debuted and peaked at number one on the US Billboard Digital Song Sales chart, and entered the charts in several other countries. Needing to speak up about beliefs I'd always had, because it felt like an opportunity to shed light on what those trials are like. Nancy Coleman, of the same magazine, opined that the film "opens a rare, honest window on what makes this star [Swift] tick". Wesley Morris of The New York Times chose Miss Americana as his "critic's pick", describing the film as "85 minutes of translucence" with Swift, stating that she is "self-critical, grown up and ready, perhaps, to deliver a message beyond the music". Please enable Cookies and reload the page. Kelly Douglas of The Mighty opined that Swift's "powerful candor" about her eating disorders and body dysmorphia will "not only resonate with others facing similar struggles, but could also encourage others to seek help for their eating disorder behaviors". [1][2], Netflix described the film as a "raw and emotionally revealing look" at Swift "during a transformational period in her life as she learns to embrace her role not only as a songwriter and performer, but as a woman harnessing the full power of her voice". Miss Americana debuted at the opening night of 2020 Sundance Film Festival on January 23, 2020, to critical acclaim centering on its intimacy and vulnerability. Accompanying the film's release, "Only the Young", a song by Swift featured in the end credits, was released as a promotional single. [12] In an interview with Chris Willman of Variety, it was revealed that the opening act of the film deals with "juxtaposing the joys of creation with the aggravations of global stardom" while the second half is a "provocative turn focused on why Swift became a political animal". [5], Swift expressed interest in making a documentary with Netflix following the concert film Taylor Swift: Reputation Stadium Tour, which premiered on the streaming platform in December 2018. [8] She added that the documentary does not mention Braun, Borchetta, or Big Machine. 1 on Digital Song Sales Chart With 'Only the Young, "Taylor Swift documentary Miss Americana receives glowing early reviews at Sundance Festival", "12 of the best and 12 of the worst Netflix originals that have come out this year, so far", "I Used to Be a Taylor Swift Fan. He explained that the article was intended to "deconstruct the pettiness of the celebrity–industrial complex" and expressed his regret that the headline appeared to be "overly critical" of Swift. He concluded that "it's truly enough to make you feel like an asshole for ever thinking that Swift was some kind of Aryan crypto-fascist, and not just a mega-famous young woman who didn't yet love herself enough to be hated for her convictions". [98][99] American writer Jenny Johnson also posted a lengthy apology on Instagram, writing that her comments about Swift being "annoying" were "made in jest", and stated: "please know I'm not against you, I'm with you and I apologize." Wilson stated that she views the movie as "looking at the flip side of being America's sweetheart", meant to shed light on the less-glamorous side of fame and stardom. [93], The Daily Targum stated that, despite being an expert when it comes to handling negative comments, even Swift "succumbed to insecurities that blossomed into eating problems, which shows how even the strongest among us are susceptible to potential eating disorders due to the toxic environment of social media". She described the film as "glossy, conventional, flicking between past and present with a warm intimacy" as Swift "bares her soul in this intimate, earnest docu-portrait". God, I almost tear up like thinking about some of the notes I've gotten from teenagers about how they look in the mirror and they hate their body and they hate the way they look. And I think one theme that ended up emerging in the film [Miss Americana] is what happens when you are not just a people pleaser but someone who's always been respectful of authority figures, doing what you were supposed to do, being polite at all costs. "http":"https";t.getElementById(r)||(n=t.createElement(e),n.id=r,n.src=i+"://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js",s.parentNode.insertBefore(n,s))}(document,"script","twitter-wjs"); I think to see Taylor, someone who's an icon of beauty, voicing these thoughts that so many people have had is incredibly, incredibly powerful because it's not something you would expect to hear. [80] In a Prospect article titled "It's time to face the facts—our male pop stars need to try a bit harder", Caroline O'Donoghue pointed out how Miss Americana talks about "the need for female pop stars to be highly visual, and to change that visual often", and quoted a line from the documentary that Swift says: "The female artists I know of have to remake themselves 20 times more than the male artists, or else you're out of a job". Willman wrote that the film further features clips capturing Swift's increasing LGBTQ allyship, Swift's reaction to her mother's cancer diagnosis, and Swift's response to her 2017 album Reputation not receiving any nominations in general categories at the 2019 Grammy Awards. I remember how, when I was 18, that was the first time I was on the cover of a magazine, and the headline was like "Pregnant at 18?". [22] Critics complimented the film for Wilson's direction, and the "emotional heft" that came from Swift's vulnerable interviews discussing issues such as eating disorder, self esteem and sexual assault,[22] and also for the portrayal of Swift's creative process. [30] Decider's Anna Menta commented that "Wilson and her team captured moments that felt personal, vulnerable, and deeply authentic, and they did so with a skill and artistry that Instagram Live stories just can't match". [40], The premiere of Miss Americana at the opening night of the 2020 Sundance Film Festival and Swift's pre-announced appearance at the festival caused a surge in the number of attendees, traction and media coverage of the event. Showcasing Swift's trademark vulnerability and her fierce intelligence and wit, Wilson captures moments both tender and exhilarating as the superstar embarks on the latest chapter of her already extraordinary career. Wilson began filming at the end of the Reputation album and tour cycle, and joined Swift for recording sessions of her subsequent album Lover. Miss Americana (also known as Taylor Swift: Miss Americana) is a 2020 American documentary film directed by Lana Wilson, that follows American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift and her life over the course of several years of her career. According to an article published by Variety on January 21, 2020, the song was said to be a “digital single [released] in conjunction with the [documentary, Miss Americana].” [36] Nick Allen for RogerEbert.com describes the film as "engineered to appease her fans and promote Swift's self-awareness". NAVIGATION FIND OUTFITS 'Miss Americana' Reminded Me Why", "Taylor Swift: Miss Americana – first look review", "Miss Americana review – Taylor Swift documentary is intimate and open", "Taylor Swift's documentary gives us a terrifying insight into the realities of being a woman in the spotlight", "Taylor Swift's Self-Scrutiny in "Miss Americana, "Miss Americana review – Taylor Swift doc is too stage-managed to truly sing", "Miss Americana movie review & film summary (2020) | Roger Ebert", "Taylor Swift Helps Kick Off Sundance With 'Miss Americana, "The 3rd Annual Hollywood Critics Association Midseason Awards Nominations", "The HCA Midseason Awards winner and runner up for Best Documentary is: Winner: Beastie Boys Story (Apple TV+) Runner Up: Miss Americana (Netflix) #BeastieBoysStory #BeastieBoys #SpikeJonze #AppleTV", "5th Annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards", "Da 5 Bloods, Riz Ahmed, Carey Mulligan score wins from National Board of Review", "Anuncio de nominaciones a los WQP Movies, TV & Music Awards", "13 Music Documentaries on Netflix, for When You're Missing That IRL Concert Experience", "Best on Netflix: The Top 12 Musical Movies + Shows for Theater Bugs", "The 10 Best Netflix Documentaries of 2020", "The 16 Best Documentaries of 2020 (So Far)", "2020 Documentaries: 10 releases from the past year to watch today", "Taylor Swift, Bee Gees, Billie Holiday: Some Of 2020's Music Documentaries To Watch", "Thank you to these TV shows and movies, anime and concerts that helped get us through 2020", "15 Netflix Documentaries That Are Actually Interesting To Watch", "27 great movies by women that you can watch on Netflix right now", "WHY THE BEST DOCUMENTARIES OF 2020 RESONATE MORE THAN EVER RIGHT NOW", "The 10 Best Documentaries Of 2020 So Far (That You Can Watch Right Now)", "The Best Music Documentaries You Can Stream On Netflix", "Documentaries about music stars were all the rage in 2020", "Netflix Has Some Great Music Documentaries. [27] Writing for The Salt Lake Tribune, Sean Means stated that the film is "an eye-opening look at Taylor Swift finding a new voice" and "shows Swift as an artist and activist just warming up for the next act". TechCrunch's Matthew Panzarino stated that, "in nearly a decade of attending Sundance, I've never seen a scene like the premiere of Miss Americana", and added that the "crowd before letting into the theater was huge", with rumors about how "there wouldn't be room for ticketed attendees". [103], {{Cite web|last=Morin|first=Natalie|date=August 6, 2020|title=The Best Music Documentaries About Women, From "The Go-Go's" To "Miss Americana"|url=, Hollywood Critics Association Midseason Awards, 2020 United States presidential elections, "Taylor Swift's Sundance Doc Has Full Clearance From Big Machine Label Group", "Taylor Swift Documentary 'Miss Americana' to Open Sundance Film Festival", "Taylor Swift's Miss Americana Documentary Gets Netflix Release Date", "Full Cast & Crew - Miss Americana (2020)", "Taylor Swift: No Longer 'Polite at All Costs, "Taylor Swift Says Scooter Braun & Scott Borchetta Won't Let Her Perform Her Old Songs at 2019 AMAs", "Taylor Swift's Ex-Label Denies She's Banned From Playing Old Songs on TV", "Big Machine, Taylor Swift Camp Spar Over American Music Awards, Netflix Controversy", "Taylor Swift doc among movies headed to 2020 Sundance Film Festival", "Taylor Swift 'Miss Americana' Netflix Doc Has a Release Date & We're So Ready for It", "Taylor Swift finds her voice in 'Miss Americana' trailer", "Find Out Where You Can See Taylor Swift's 'Miss Americana' in Theaters", "How Midterm Elections Inspired Taylor Swift's New Song, 'Only the Young, "Taylor Swift Scores Record-Extending 19th No. Taylor Swift's parents got divorced sometime around 2011, without telling anyone about it.Too worried about offsetting Taylor's career, Andrea and Scott kept silent about their marriage troubles, sternly refusing to get the press involved throughout the legal process. [10] In response, a representative for Swift published an email from a Big Machine executive refusing to issue licences in connection to the documentary. [101][102], An alternative poster of the film, featuring a male alter-ego of Swift, appears in the music video for Swift's 2020 single "The Man". [31] Steve Pond of TheWrap pointed out that "the heart of Miss Americana is Taylor Swift telling us what she stands for on gay rights and women's rights, and what she's learned about the fate of being a woman in the public eye". Directed by Lana Wilson. [18], Miss Americana was met with critical acclaim upon release. In the apology, Glaser stated that: "Unfortunately, I am featured in her [Swift's] new documentary as part of a montage of asshats saying mean things about her, which is used to explain why she felt the need to escape from the spotlight for a year", and admitted that her comments may have come from a place of "projection". [29], The Atlantic's Spencer Kornhaber wrote that Miss Americana portrays "a pop star facing a daunting challenge—redefining success", acting as "a container for the dictates of supposedly meritocratic capitalist patriarchy". I still think it's important to be polite, but not at all costs. From Emmy Winning Director Lana Wilson and Academy Award Winning Filmmakers Behind 20 Feet From Stardom. The song was written by Swift after the 2018 United States elections,[6] but did not make it on the track-list of Lover. [100], "Only the Young", the film's promotional single, was used to advertise Biden/Harris, as part of Democratic campaign for 2020 United States presidential elections. It includes 25 Alamo Drafthouse theatres and an iPic theatre in the United States, and the Prince Charles Cinema in the United Kingdom. [35], In a two-star review for The Guardian, Benjamin Lee describes Miss Americana as "too stage-managed" and a "brand management dressed up as insight". High quality Taylor Swift gifts and merchandise. It also became the highest-rated Netflix-original biographical documentary by a recording artist in IMDb history. [16], The documentary includes the song "Only the Young", playing during the end credits, which was released as a promotional single alongside the film.