One Direction: This Is Us

Yep.  I watched a documentary about One Direction.  Now that I've spent an hour and a half of my life on this movie, I have something to say to all the screaming, preteen girls out there: I totally get it now.  I completely understand the appeal of One Direction, more so than any other boy band.

This Is Us is actually a pretty good documentary.  It focuses on the origin of the band and the journey they take together until they set out on a world tour.  But it's not really at all about the tour.  There are live performances in the movie from the tour, but it's all about these young men and how fame has affected (and in some ways, not affected) them.

 

I was really impressed with how deep this movie went.  It's by no means a searing chronicle of One Direction.  It's produced by Simon Cowell who founded the band, so he wouldn't allow any negativity.  But director Morgan Spurlock (of Super Size Me fame) spends a lot of time with the band and their parents as they discuss the way in which the band essentially robbed them of the very important final years of their adolescence.  The regret expressed (especially by the parents) is striking and a very welcome emotional respite from the constant screaming of young girls.

 

And speaking of screaming girls, One Direction has a lot of fun with them.  The band seems to be as baffled by the behavior of the girls as I am.  They take every opportunity to toy with their fans.  They figure out ways to "play" the screaming like an orchestra conductor.  But the fun they have with their fans is never malicious.  They actually seem to be really great to their fans and fairly humble when on a one-on-one basis with people.

 

I'm still not a fan of their music, but they put on a good show.  Again, I completely understand the appeal these guys have.  They sing songs especially crafted to appeal to a naïve girl's ideal of romance.  They're good-looking and nice, but they're spontaneous enough (and have enough ill-advised tattoos) to be exciting.  Parents can feel good about their daughters daydreaming about these guys.

 

This Is Us is definitely made for One Direction fans, but fans of music documentaries should check this out too.  Or people who are just curious what all the hubbub is about.  It was made to be in 3-D and the in-your-face elements can be a little annoying, but otherwise it's a pretty solid movie.

 

7 out of 10