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''Miss Americana'' (also known as ''Taylor Swift: Miss Americana'') is a 2020 American documentary film that follows singer-songwriter Taylor Swift and her life over the course of several years of her career. It was directed by Lana Wilson, produced by Tremolo Productions, and released to Netflix and select theaters on January 31, 2020. The film is titled after "
Miss Americana & the Heartbreak Prince "Miss Americana & the Heartbreak Prince" is a song by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, taken from her seventh studio album '' Lover'' (2019). She wrote the song a few months after the 2018 U.S. midterm elections to capture her disillusio ...
", a 2019 a song by Swift. The film has been described as an unvarnished and emotionally revealing look at Swift, during a metamorphic phase in her life, as she learns to accept her role as not only a singer-songwriter and entertainer, but as an influential woman "harnessing the full power of her voice." It is set in the time period spanning from Swift's
Reputation Stadium Tour The Reputation Stadium Tour was the fifth concert tour by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, in support of her sixth studio album ''Reputation'' (2017). The all- stadium tour began on May 8, 2018, in Glendale, Arizona, and concluded on ...
(2018) to the release roll-out of her seventh studio album ''
Lover Lover or lovers may refer to a person having a sexual or romantic relationship with someone outside marriage. In this context see: * Sexual partner * Mistress (lover) * Extramarital sex * Premarital sex Lover or Lovers may also refer to: Geogr ...
'' (2019), dotted with flashback video-clips portraying several undisclosed events of her life and career. Premiering at the opening night of
2020 Sundance Film Festival The 2020 Sundance Film Festival took place from January 23 to February 2, 2020. The first lineup of competition films was announced on December 4, 2019. The opening night film was ''Miss Americana'' directed by Lana Wilson and produced by Morgan ...
on January 23, 2020, ''Miss Americana'' collected critical acclaim centering on its emotion, intimacy, and vulnerable topics. Reviews complimented Swift's honesty and personality. Accompanying the film's release, " Only the Young", a song by Swift featured in the end credits, was released as a promotional single. ''Miss Americana'' was selected by the National Board of Review as one of the five best documentaries of 2020. Publications have named it amongst the best Netflix films and biographical documentaries, and regard it a pivotal moment for Swift's career.


Synopsis

''Miss Americana'' follows Swift during a transitional phase in her career, as she wraps up her 2018
Reputation Stadium Tour The Reputation Stadium Tour was the fifth concert tour by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, in support of her sixth studio album ''Reputation'' (2017). The all- stadium tour began on May 8, 2018, in Glendale, Arizona, and concluded on ...
and began creating her 2019 album ''
Lover Lover or lovers may refer to a person having a sexual or romantic relationship with someone outside marriage. In this context see: * Sexual partner * Mistress (lover) * Extramarital sex * Premarital sex Lover or Lovers may also refer to: Geogr ...
'', while covering several years of her life through a biographical compilation of interviews, flashbacks, studio footage, home videos, cellphone videos and concert recordings. It focuses on sensitive subjects that Swift often avoided in interviews, such as her past battle with
body dysmorphia Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), occasionally still called dysmorphophobia, is a mental disorder characterized by the obsessive idea that some aspect of one's own body part or appearance is severely flawed and therefore warrants exceptional meas ...
and
eating disorder An eating disorder is a mental disorder defined by abnormal eating behaviors that negatively affect a person's physical or mental health. Only one eating disorder can be diagnosed at a given time. Types of eating disorders include binge eating d ...
, her mother's cancer diagnosis, the toxic internet culture and media scrutiny she faces, her
sexual assault Sexual assault is an act in which one intentionally sexually touches another person without that person's consent, or coerces or physically forces a person to engage in a sexual act against their will. It is a form of sexual violence, which ...
trial, and decision to go public with her political views, including LGBTQ+ allyship. 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". The Sundance Institute outlined: "Director Lana Wilson offers a multifaceted window into Swift, her creative process, and her singular experience of being one of the brightest lights on the world's global stage. 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."


Cast

* Taylor Swift * Andrea Swift, mother * Scott Swift, father * Abigail Anderson Lucier, friend *
Tree Paine Tree Paine is an American public relations executive. She is best known as the publicist of American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift since 2014. Career Paine began her career as an intern at British record label Mute Records in the Sales & Market ...
, publicist * Robert G. Allen, manager * Joe Alwyn, actor and boyfriend * Jack Antonoff, record producer * Joel Little, record producer * Max Martin, record producer * Dave Meyers, music video director * Brendon Urie, musician * Todrick Hall, musician * Paul Sidoti, guitarist * Kamilah Marshall, singer * Melanie Nyema, singer Additionally, the archive footages used in the documentary feature record producer
Calvin Harris Adam Richard Wiles (born 17 January 1984), known professionally as Calvin Harris, is a Scottish DJ, record producer, singer, and songwriter who has released six studio albums. His debut studio album, ''I Created Disco'', was released in June ...
, singers
Beyoncé Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Beyoncé's boundary-pushing artistry and vocals have made her the most influential female musician of the 21st century, according to ...
, P!nk, Selena Gomez,
Harry Styles Harry Edward Styles (born 1 February 1994) is an English singer, songwriter, and actor. His musical career began in 2010 as a solo contestant on the British music competition series ''The X Factor (UK TV series), The X Factor''. Following hi ...
, Shakira and
Lenny Kravitz Leonard Albert Kravitz (born May 26, 1964) is an American singer-songwriter. His style incorporates elements of rock, blues, soul, R&B, funk, jazz, reggae, hard rock, psychedelic, pop and folk. Kravitz won the Grammy Award for Best Male Roc ...
, music bands Dixie Chicks and
Earth Wind & Fire Earth, Wind & Fire (EW&F or EWF) is an American band whose music spans the genres of jazz, R&B, soul, funk, disco, pop, big band, Latin, and Afro pop. They are among the best-selling bands of all time, with sales of over 90 million ...
, models Karlie Kloss and Kim Kardashian, rapper Kanye West, US politicians Marsha Blackburn and Donald Trump, actors
Taylor Lautner Taylor Daniel Lautner (; born February 11, 1992) is an American actor. He is best known for playing Therianthropy, shapeshifter Jacob Black in ''The Twilight Saga (film series), The Twilight Saga'' film series. Lautner began his acting caree ...
and Tom Hiddleston, drag queens
Jade Jolie Jade Jolie is the stage name of Joshua Green, (born November 2, 1986) an American drag queen and Taylor Swift impersonator known for competing in the fifth season of ''RuPaul's Drag Race'' and the fourth season of ''The Boulet Brothers' Dragula ...
and Riley Knoxx, television personalities
Barbara Walters Barbara Jill Walters (born September 25, 1929) is an American broadcast journalist and television personality. Known for her interviewing ability and popularity with viewers, Walters appeared as a host of numerous television programs, including ...
, Dan Harris,
David Letterman David Michael Letterman (born April 12, 1947) is an American television host, comedian, writer and producer. He hosted late night television talk shows for 33 years, beginning with the February 1, 1982 debut of ''Late Night with David Letterman' ...
, Erin Robinson, Graham Norton,
Hoda Kotb Hoda Kotb ( ; arz, هدى قطب, ''Hudā Quṭb''; ; born August 9, 1964) is an American broadcast journalist, television personality, and author. She is a main co-anchor of the NBC News morning show ''Today'' and co-host of its entertainment ...
, Jedediah Bila, Jenny Johnson,
Jimmy Fallon James Thomas Fallon (born September 19, 1974) is an American comedian, television host, actor, and writer. He is known for his work in television as a cast member on ''Saturday Night Live'' and as the host of the late-night talk show ''The Ton ...
, JuJu Chang, Nancy O'Dell, Nikki Glaser,
Phil McGraw Phillip Calvin McGraw (born September 1, 1950), better known as Dr. Phil, is an American television personality and author best known for hosting the talk show '' Dr. Phil''. He holds a doctorate in clinical psychology, though he ceased rene ...
, Sara Haines, Stephen Colbert, Sunny Hostin, Whoopi Goldberg, and the entire "Fab 5" cast of '' Queer Eye'': Antoni Porowski,
Bobby Berk Bobby Berk is an Emmy winning television host, author and interior designer. He stars in the Netflix series '' Queer Eye'' as the interior design expert. Early life Berk was born in Houston, Texas to a young mother and then adopted by his mater ...
, Karamo Brown, Jonathan Van Ness and
Tan France Tanveer Wasim "Tan" France ( Safdar; born 20 April 1983) is a British-American fashion designer and television personality. Of Pakistani descent, he is one of the first openly gay South Asian men on a major show and one of the first out Muslim ...
.


Production


Development

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. She was provided with a list of potential directors, of which Wilson was one. Wilson began filming at the end of the ''Reputation'' album and tour cycle, and joined Swift for recording sessions of her subsequent album ''Lover''. The title of the documentary is borrowed from "
Miss Americana & the Heartbreak Prince "Miss Americana & the Heartbreak Prince" is a song by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, taken from her seventh studio album '' Lover'' (2019). She wrote the song a few months after the 2018 U.S. midterm elections to capture her disillusio ...
", the seventh track on ''Lover'', in which Swift expressed her disillusionment over the current state of United States politics. Swift revealed the documentary in November 2019, when she said the owner and founder of her former label Big Machine Records, Scooter Braun and Scott Borchetta respectively, blocked her from using older music and performance footage for the documentary. She added that the documentary does not mention Braun, Borchetta, or Big Machine. Big Machine denied the accusations in a statement. In response, a representative for Swift published an email from a Big Machine executive refusing to issue licences in connection to the documentary. In December, '' Variety'' reported Big Machine had cleared the use of Swift's older material for the film.


Music

The documentary includes the song " Only the Young", playing during the end credits, which was released as a promotional single alongside the film. The song was written by Swift after the
2018 United States elections The 2018 United States elections were held on Tuesday, November 6, 2018. These midterm elections occurred during Republican Donald Trump's term. Democrats made a net gain of 41 seats in the United States House of Representatives, gaining a majo ...
, but did not make it on the track-list of ''Lover''. Upon release, the song received universal acclaim from music critics, who praised its politically charged lyrics that deal with gun violence and school shootings in the United States. "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.


Release and promotion

In December 2019, Netflix revealed that the documentary was set to premiere at the
2020 Sundance Film Festival The 2020 Sundance Film Festival took place from January 23 to February 2, 2020. The first lineup of competition films was announced on December 4, 2019. The opening night film was ''Miss Americana'' directed by Lana Wilson and produced by Morgan ...
. 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". 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 The 61st Annual Grammy Awards ceremony was held on February 10, 2019, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Singer-songwriter Alicia Keys hosted. During her opening monologue, Keys brought out Lady Gaga, Jada Pinkett Smith, Jennifer Lopez, and fo ...
. 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. On January 15, 2020, Swift revealed the release date and a poster of the film through her social media accounts. Six days later, an official trailer to the film was released on YouTube and on Swift's social media accounts. On January 30, Swift announced the list of select theatres that will play ''Miss Americana'', for a limited time. It included 25 Alamo Drafthouse theatres and an iPic theatre in the United States, and the Prince Charles Cinema in the United Kingdom.


Critical reception

''Miss Americana'' garnered critical acclaim. On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a "certified fresh" approval rating of based on reviews, with an average rating of . The site's critics consensus reads: "''Miss Americana'' provides an engaging if somewhat deliberately opaque backstage look at a pop star turned cultural phenomenon." On Metacritic, it has a mean score of 65 out of 100, based on 23 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". The film premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival to praise and a standing ovation from the critics and audience. ''Miss Americana'' has been described as an intimate, genuine, funny and empowering film, documenting "her humble beginnings as a country-music star to her position as an influential figure in
pop culture Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop!, a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Albums * Pop (Gas al ...
". Reviews complimented the film for Wilson's direction, and the "emotional heft" that came from Swift's vulnerable interviews discussing issues such as
eating disorder An eating disorder is a mental disorder defined by abnormal eating behaviors that negatively affect a person's physical or mental health. Only one eating disorder can be diagnosed at a given time. Types of eating disorders include binge eating d ...
, self esteem and
sexual assault Sexual assault is an act in which one intentionally sexually touches another person without that person's consent, or coerces or physically forces a person to engage in a sexual act against their will. It is a form of sexual violence, which ...
, and for capturing Swift's creative process as well. Wesley Morris of '' The New York Times'' chose ''Miss Americana'' as his Critic's Pick, describing it 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". Nancy Coleman, of the same publication, opined that the film "opens a rare, honest window on what makes this star
wift WIFT (102.1 FM, "Bigfoot Country 102.1 & 101.3") is a country music formatted broadcast radio station licensed to DuBois, Pennsylvania, serving the DuBois/ Punxsutawney/ Clearfield area. WIFT is owned and operated by Kristin Cantrell, through ...
tick". Hannah Woodhead of '' Little White Lies'' said the film offers "unprecedented access to the notoriously private singer and her dizzying world" through "interviews, studio footage, home videos and concert recordings". She described it as "glossy, conventional, flicking between past and present with a warm intimacy" as Swift "bares her soul in this intimate, earnest docu-portrait". ''
Slash Film ''/Film'', also spelled ''Slashfilm'', is a blog that covers movie news, reviews, interviews, and trailers. It was founded by Peter Sciretta in August 2005. Podcasts Six podcasts have run on the site. ''The /Filmcast'', hosted by David Chen, De ...
''s Chris Evangelita termed the film a "dynamite crowd pleaser" and described it as "a sweet, surprisingly funny portrait of Taylor Swift growing up and getting political". Leslie Felperin of '' The Hollywood Reporter'' wrote: "what's ultimately very endearing about Swift is her intelligence and self-awareness, qualities that also make her music compelling, sophisticated and capable of appealing both to adolescent kids and hipster
musicologists Musicology (from Greek μουσική ''mousikē'' 'music' and -λογια ''-logia'', 'domain of study') is the scholarly analysis and research-based study of music. Musicology departments traditionally belong to the humanities, although some mu ...
". Writing for ''
The Salt Lake Tribune ''The Salt Lake Tribune'' is a newspaper published in the city of Salt Lake City, Utah. The ''Tribune'' is owned by The Salt Lake Tribune, Inc., a non-profit corporation. The newspaper's motto is "Utah's Independent Voice Since 1871." History ...
'', 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". Amber Wilkinson of '' The Times'' wrote that the "intimate and open" documentary offers "a much more personal and open consideration of a star who has always been known for her onstage sound and who is now finding her political voice off stage too". '' 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 Patriarchy is a social system in which positions of dominance and privilege are primarily held by men. It is used, both as a technical anthropological term for families or clans controlled by the father or eldest male or group of males a ...
". He added that the film does not depict a drastic change but rather "a tough, somewhat deflating process of self-recognition". ''
Decider Decider is both a real word and a "Bushism". It may refer to: * ''Decider'' (website), a pop culture website operated by the ''New York Post'' *'' Bill Maher: The Decider'', a stand-up comedy special * Decider (Turing machine), a Turing machine th ...
''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 Instagram is a photo and video sharing social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. The app allows users to upload media that can be edited with filters and organized by hashtags and geographical tagging. Posts can ...
Live stories just can't match". 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". ''
Glamour Glamour may refer to: Arts Film * ''Glamour'' (1931 film), a British film * ''Glamour'' (1934 film), an American film * ''Glamour'' (2000 film), a Hungarian film Writing * ''Glamour'' (magazine), a magazine for women * ''The Glamour ...
''s Marie-Claire Chappet wrote: "''Miss Americana'' shows Taylor is sick of the restrictive parameters set out for women in the spotlight. She defies her advisors and gets political — breaking her silence and following in the footsteps of the Dixie Chicks – with thankfully less damaging consequences. She begins using her voice for what she cares about – like LGBTQ rights – and stops caring if Twitter thinks she's over – if the industry doesn't think she's 'likeable'." '' 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". In his Critic's Pick review, '' IndieWire'' 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 excellent at "splitting the difference that some of her documentary's most humanizing moments are beautiful for how they contradict Swift's intention". 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". In a two-star review for '' The Guardian'', Benjamin Lee found ''Miss Americana'' too stage-managed and a "brand management dressed up as insight". Nick Allen for ''
RogerEbert.com ''RogerEbert.com'' is an American film review website that archives reviews written by film critic Roger Ebert for the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' and also shares other critics' reviews and essays. The website, underwritten by the ''Chicago Sun-Times' ...
'' said the film is "engineered to appease her fans and promote Swift's self-awareness". Mike Ryan of '' Uproxx'' wrote that the movie is "frustrating" due to its "lack of depth when discussing interesting issues", instead opting for victory montages. Beth Webb of '' Empire'' opined that ''Miss Americana'' does not have Swift break any new barriers. '' Variety''s Owen Gleiberman opined that the documentary is "a controlled and sanded-off confection of pop- diva image management", where Swift "presents of herself is just chancy and sincere enough" in the film "to draw us in".


Accolades

''Miss Americana'' has won three industry awards and received four other nominations. It has been placed in various best-of lists from publications and media outlets.


Awards and nominations


Lists


Impact

The premiere of ''Miss Americana'' at the opening night of the
2020 Sundance Film Festival The 2020 Sundance Film Festival took place from January 23 to February 2, 2020. The first lineup of competition films was announced on December 4, 2019. The opening night film was ''Miss Americana'' directed by Lana Wilson and produced by Morgan ...
and Swift's pre-announced appearance at the festival caused a surge in the number of attendees, traction and media coverage of the event. 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". Upon release, the film became the highest-rated Netflix-original biographical documentary by an artist in IMDb history.


Mental health discourse

''Miss Americana'' fueled several conversations about
eating disorder An eating disorder is a mental disorder defined by abnormal eating behaviors that negatively affect a person's physical or mental health. Only one eating disorder can be diagnosed at a given time. Types of eating disorders include binge eating d ...
s,
body dysmorphia Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), occasionally still called dysmorphophobia, is a mental disorder characterized by the obsessive idea that some aspect of one's own body part or appearance is severely flawed and therefore warrants exceptional meas ...
, exercise anorexia,
self-esteem Self-esteem is confidence in one's own worth or abilities. Self-esteem encompasses beliefs about oneself (for example, "I am loved", "I am worthy") as well as emotional states, such as triumph, despair, pride, and shame. Smith and Mackie (2007) d ...
, toxic internet culture and
sexual assault Sexual assault is an act in which one intentionally sexually touches another person without that person's consent, or coerces or physically forces a person to engage in a sexual act against their will. It is a form of sexual violence, which ...
across the internet. Writing for '' The Washington Post'', Jessica Gold, professor of psychiatry at the Washington University in St. Louis, stated that Swift "struck a powerful chord with viewers" with ''Miss Americana'', "thanks to her honesty regarding her struggle for approval as a woman in today's society". Gold called Swift "the leader we need in 2020", who steps up to "fill gaps left by political leadership", during a time "when our political leaders are struggling to build consensus on and convey the gravity of issues" like mental health. She explained that Swift's leadership is commercially savvy, but also shows how celebrities "can now speak directly to fans, doing tremendous good in the process", and concluded that the singer is sending a powerful message—"one that is likely to save lives in myriad ways". 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". The '' New York Post'' Elana Fishman confessed: "every so often, I'll still catch myself criticizing the way my tummy or legs look in a photo or how a certain pair of pants fits me. 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". Anne Petersen of ''
BuzzFeed News ''BuzzFeed News'' is an American news website published by BuzzFeed. It has published a number of high-profile scoops, including the Steele dossier, for which it was heavily criticized, and the FinCEN Files. Since its establishment in 2011, it ...
'' commented that Swift contributes to society's "collective understanding of what beauty and success looks like", and that she is also talking about her "susceptibility to the pressure of that understanding". Petersen added that Swift refuses "to hide, and thus continue to normalize, the behaviors that perpetuate it". '' 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". Ellen Ricks of ''
HelloGiggles HelloGiggles.com is an entertainment and lifestyle website launched in May 2011. It was founded by actress/musician Zooey Deschanel, producer Sophia Rivka Rossi and writer Molly McAleer. The website is geared toward women, and covers topics in pop ...
'' called Swift's reveal of her disorder as inspirational, noting "how it can potentially impact so many people still fighting", as "there is still so much stigma and misinformation" surrounding eating disorders, and praised Swift for "using her voice to shed light on the issue for her fans". In a '' Deccan Chronicle'' piece titled "Warring with food", writer Swati Sharma noted "it's no surprise" that many celebrities like Swift have struggled with eating disorders, and highlighted how the singer would be "so hungry after performances that she'd feel weak and on the verge of passing out". In an interview with ''
Glamour Glamour may refer to: Arts Film * ''Glamour'' (1931 film), a British film * ''Glamour'' (1934 film), an American film * ''Glamour'' (2000 film), a Hungarian film Writing * ''Glamour'' (magazine), a magazine for women * ''The Glamour ...
'', Wilson talked about the positive comments she received regarding her decision to include Swift's eating disorder and body image issues in the film:In an article titled "Why women say sorry too much and what to say — and do — instead" for Australian Broadcasting Corporation, writer Kate Midena highlighted the moment from ''Miss Americana'' when Swift speaks about her struggle to "deprogram the misogyny in erown brain." In the scene, Swift says: "I'm trying to be as educated as possible in how to respect people. Like, there is no such thing as a slut, there is no such thing as a bitch, there is no such thing as someone who's bossy, there's just a boss. We don't want to be condemned for being multi-faceted." Swift then pauses and quickly apologizes saying "Sorry, that was a real
soap box A soapbox is a raised platform on which one stands to make an impromptu speech, often about a political subject. The term originates from the days when speakers would elevate themselves by standing on a wooden crate originally used for shipme ...
," before correcting herself again saying "Why did I say sorry? Ugh!". Director Wilson can be heard off-camera, remarking: "It's because we're trained to say sorry." Midena wrote the scene makes Swift "instantly relatable", but also raises the question "if
wift WIFT (102.1 FM, "Bigfoot Country 102.1 & 101.3") is a country music formatted broadcast radio station licensed to DuBois, Pennsylvania, serving the DuBois/ Punxsutawney/ Clearfield area. WIFT is owned and operated by Kristin Cantrell, through ...
with all her success and during a documentary about herself, apologizes for sharing her opinion, how should the rest of us fare?" and stated "it's a
conundrum Conundrum may refer to: * A riddle, whose answer is or involves a pun or unexpected twist, in particular ** Riddle joke, a riddle that constitutes a set-up to the humorous punch line of a joke * A logical postulation that evades resolution, an ...
women have been stuck in since the middle ages". She said girls are often taught to value empathy over "masculine traits" such as strength and assertiveness, and hence they "feel the need to cushion their actions with an apology". Midena underscored how the "female language" is filled with qualifiers such as "I'm sorry, do you mind moving?" and "Sorry, I just have one more question", and how a phrase like "Sorry for complaining", such as Swift's, could be replaced with "Thanks for listening" instead.


Apology

''Miss Americana'' further prompted many of Swift's past critics to respond to the documentary. American comedian Nikki Glaser wrote an apology on
Instagram Instagram is a photo and video sharing social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. The app allows users to upload media that can be edited with filters and organized by hashtags and geographical tagging. Posts can ...
after her comments about Swift being "too skinny" were featured in the film. In the apology, Glaser stated that: "Unfortunately, I am featured in her wift'snew 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". She further added that "if you're familiar with my 'work' at all, you know I talk openly about battling some kind of eating disorder for the past 17 years, I was probably 'feeling fat' that day and was jealous". Swift responded: "One of the major themes of the doc is that we have the ability to change our opinions over time, to grow, to learn about ourselves. I'm so sorry to hear that you've struggled with some of the same things I've struggled with. Sending a massive hug". American writer Jenny Johnson also posted a lengthy apology on Instagram, writing that her comments about Swift being "annoying" were unnecessary, rude, and "made in jest", stating: "please know I'm not against you, I'm with you and I apologize." Journalist Richard S. He took to Twitter to apologize to Swift for an article he wrote in 2016, titled "Taylor Swift Isn't Like Other Celebrities, She's Worse". He explained that the article was intended to "deconstruct the pettiness of the
celebrity–industrial complex The celebrity-industrial complex is a social and economic construct which involves a symbiotic relationship between celebrities and business corporations. First proposed by ''Vanity Fair'' columnist Maureen Orth in her book, '' The Importance of B ...
" and expressed his regret that the headline appeared to be "overly critical" of Swift. He concluded that he has "learned so much from Taylor's artistry over the years, and remain a huge fan".


Contemporary and popular culture

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". The camera pans over a "Mr. Americana" poster starring "Tyler Swift", directed by "Larry Wilson", and premiering at the 2020 "Mandance Festival", a wordplay on the Sundance Festival. A ''
Prospect Prospect may refer to: General * Prospect (marketing), a marketing term describing a potential customer * Prospect (sports), any player whose rights are owned by a professional team, but who has yet to play a game for the team * Prospect (mining ...
'' piece titled "It's time to face the facts—our male pop stars need to try a bit harder" pointed out how ''Miss Americana'' talks about the requirement for female popstars to be "highly visual, and to change that visual often", quoting Swift from the documentary: "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". As per '' Vox'', the songwriting footages in ''Miss Americana'' shaped the image of Swift's musicianship in the following years, from being viewed as a mere popstar to an expert singer-songwriter, further bolstered by her 2020 albums '' Folklore'' and ''
Evermore Evermore may refer to: Books * ''Evermore'' (anthology), an anthology of short stories about or in honor of Edgar Allan Poe * ''Evermore'' (novel), a 2009 novel in The Immortals series by Alyson Noël * ''Evermore'', a short story by Julian Bar ...
''.In the journal ''Contemporary Music Review'',
Gina Arnold Gina Arnold is an American author, music critic, and academic. A lecturer at Stanford University and an adjunct professor at the University of San Francisco, she is the author of four books, including the 33⅓ book on Liz Phair, ''Exile in Guyvi ...
wrote that ''Miss Americana'' depicts Swift's distaste for "her thralldom to a conservative ideology", and helps viewers to reflect on "serious changes" regarding gender in the U.S. and the ways those changes manifest in live performances and popular culture. '' IndieWire'' credited ''Miss Americana'' for paving a way for singers to utilize major streaming platforms to eventize tour footages into intimate, candid films, to complement their careers. Critics found ''Miss Americana'' as a heavy inspiration for Canadian singer Shawn Mendes' 2020 Netflix documentary, '' Shawn Mendes: In Wonder.'' '' Excuse Me, I Love You'' (2020) by American singer
Ariana Grande Ariana Grande-Butera ( ; born June 26, 1993) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Her four-octave vocal range has received critical acclaim, and her personal life has been the subject of widespread media attention. She has received ...
was also compared to ''Miss Americana''. American singer
Katy Perry Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson (born October 25, 1984), known professionally as Katy Perry, is an American singer, songwriter, and television personality. Known for her influence on modern pop music and her Camp (style), campy style, she has been ...
praised the film, stating that she was impressed by ''Miss Americana'' because of its
self-awareness In philosophy of self, self-awareness is the experience of one's own personality or individuality. It is not to be confused with consciousness in the sense of qualia. While consciousness is being aware of one's environment and body and lifesty ...
and vulnerability, commenting that she was "really excited for her
wift WIFT (102.1 FM, "Bigfoot Country 102.1 & 101.3") is a country music formatted broadcast radio station licensed to DuBois, Pennsylvania, serving the DuBois/ Punxsutawney/ Clearfield area. WIFT is owned and operated by Kristin Cantrell, through ...
to be able to show that to the world: that things aren't perfect, they don't have to be, and it's more beautiful when they aren't". Perry further added that ''Miss Americana'' inspires her to make her own documentary.
Emily Strayer Emily Burns Strayer ( Erwin, previously Robison; born August 16, 1972) is an American songwriter, singer, multi-instrumentalist, and a founding member of the country band The Chicks, formerly known as the Dixie Chicks. Strayer plays banjo, dob ...
, of the American country music band the Chicks, commented on the documentary, stating: "The power she
wift WIFT (102.1 FM, "Bigfoot Country 102.1 & 101.3") is a country music formatted broadcast radio station licensed to DuBois, Pennsylvania, serving the DuBois/ Punxsutawney/ Clearfield area. WIFT is owned and operated by Kristin Cantrell, through ...
has right now to change things is way beyond any power we he Chicksever had. She's in a different person than we were ever". The Department of English of the
Queen's University at Kingston Queen's University at Kingston, commonly known as Queen's University or simply Queen's, is a public research university in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Queen's holds more than of land throughout Ontario and owns Herstmonceux Castle in East Suss ...
, a public university in Ontario, Canada, offers a fall semester course titled "Taylor Swift's Literary Legacy (Taylor's Version)", with a syllabus requiring students to analyse many of Swift's works, including watching ''Miss Americana;'' the course objective is to examine Swift's music, its literary references, and her
sociopolitical Political sociology is an Interdisciplinarity, interdisciplinary field of study concerned with exploring how governance and society interact and influence one another at the micro to macro Level of analysis, levels of analysis. Interested in the ...
impact on contemporary culture.


Politics


Criticism of Marsha Blackburn

In ''Miss Americana'', Swift criticized Marsha Blackburn, a Republican
senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
from Tennessee, for her policies and voting record at the U.S. Congress. Swift called Blackburn "Trump in a wig" who won the 2018 U.S. Senate elections by "being a female applying to the kind of female males want us to be in a horrendous 1950s world." Blackburn responded to Swift's comments in her July 2021 interview to the American far-right website Breitbart News, claiming that the "
marxist Marxism is a Left-wing politics, left-wing to Far-left politics, far-left method of socioeconomic analysis that uses a Materialism, materialist interpretation of historical development, better known as historical materialism, to understand S ...
- socialist" society " liberals are pushing for" in the U.S., would be detrimental to the music industry. Blackburn mentioned that Swift "came after" her during her campaign for the 2018 mid-term elections, referring to Swift's widely-discussed
Instagram Instagram is a photo and video sharing social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. The app allows users to upload media that can be edited with filters and organized by hashtags and geographical tagging. Posts can ...
post on November 18, 2018, which was also portrayed in the film. In the post, Swift endorsed the Democratic candidates Phil Bredesen for the U.S. Senate, and Jim Cooper for the U.S. House, and opposed Blackburn, saying " lackburn'svoting record in Congress appalls and terrifies me. She voted against equal pay for women. She voted against the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, which attempts to protect women from
domestic violence Domestic violence (also known as domestic abuse or family violence) is violence or other abuse that occurs in a domestic setting, such as in a marriage or cohabitation. ''Domestic violence'' is often used as a synonym for ''intimate partner ...
, stalking, and date rape. She believes businesses have a right to refuse service to gay couples. She also believes they should not have the right to marry. These are not MY Tennessee values." Blackburn added that Swift "would be the first victim of that because when you look at Marxist socialistic societies, they do not allow women to dress or sing or be on stage or to entertain or the type of music she would have. They don't allow protection of private intellectual property rights" and the singer "is going to be the first ones who will be cut off because the state would have to approve your music." American legal journalist Benjamin Wittes, a senior fellow at Brookings Institution, stated he is willing to facilitate a webcast debate between Swift and Blackburn. Some others suggested that Swift should run against Blackburn in the next elections.


Biden/Harris campaign

"Only the Young", the film's promotional single, was used in advertising campaigns for
Democratic Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...
presidential candidate Joe Biden and vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris in the leadup to the
2020 U.S. presidential election The 2020 United States presidential election was the 59th quadrennial presidential election, held on Tuesday, November 3, 2020. The Democratic ticket of former vice president Joe Biden and the junior U.S. senator from California Kamala H ...
. Representative Eric Swalwell revealed that Swift authorized the usage of the song for the campaign free-of-cost, marking the first time she has allowed her music to be used in a political advertisement. The video advertisement was released on October 30, 2020. It opens with a quote from Vice Presidential candidate, Kamala Harris, wondering why "so many powerful people are making it so difficult to vote". The rest of the advertisement features a montage of scenes from the past four years in the U.S: Videos of Me Too and Black Lives Matter protesters, President Donald Trump removing his face mask following COVID-19 hospitalization, Judge Amy Coney Barrett being sworn in as a Supreme Court justice, a 75-year-old protester being pushed to the ground by police in Buffalo, New York, and a scene of young supporters of Presidential nominee Joe Biden organizing and taking part in early voting. The video concludes with the motto: "You've marched for four years. Now it's time to run". Harris expressed gratitude to Swift, and tweeted that the singer is showing the young voters "what's at stake" in the election.


See also

*
List of Netflix original films __NOTOC__ The following are lists of Netflix original films by year: Lists *List of Netflix original films (2015–2017) *List of Netflix original films (2018) *List of Netflix original films (2019) *List of Netflix original films (2020) *Lis ...


References


External links

* * {{Lana Wilson Taylor Swift 2020 films Autobiographical films American documentary films Documentary films about singers Documentary films about women in music Netflix original documentary films Films scored by Alex Somers Films about media manipulation 2020 documentary films Films directed by Lana Wilson 2020s English-language films Films shot in Tennessee Films shot in New York City 2020s American films