Post by Admin on Dec 22, 2020 21:28:07 GMT
Grande has a lot of best friends. At least, that seemed to be the main takeaway from Netflix’s excuse me, i love you, the concert movie about the popstar, in which too many people to count are identified with title cards anointing them “best friend” first, whatever their profession is second. This is about as deep as the film gets into Grande’s personal life, branded as a documentary but rarely probing beneath its subject’s glittery surface.
In fact—and I swear I’m not making this up—by the 55-minute mark, the longest non-performance segment features the “thank u, next” singer telling a story about her dogs getting diarrhea. Though there is an amusing twist ending to the story (Grande had been FaceTiming with Broadway star Kristen Chenoweth at the time), a pet poop anecdote hardly qualifies as juicy or vulnerable behind-the-scenes dish.
Directed by Paul Dugdale, excuse me, i love you documents a few select moments from the 27-year-old’s 2019 Sweetener tour. The concert portions, filmed in London, are interspersed with footage of Grande giggling over an iPhone screen with different combinations of best friends and chatting with makeup artists over pre-show glam sessions.
About two-thirds of the way through, there is a very half-hearted attempt to broach the subject of politics. Grande shrieks with joy and falls to the ground upon receiving the news that Donald Trump was impeached. Unfortunately, this scene mainly has the effect of making it seem like she doesn’t know what impeachment means. It is followed by an accidentally hilarious title card that says “too bad he wasn’t convicted—thank god biden won anyway!”
The performance segments, though, are infectiously entertaining. In addition to a laundry list of best friends, Grande has stunning vocals. She flexes them right out of the gate, perfectly hitting a jaw-dropping whistle note in “God is a woman” within the first five minutes of the film. At one point, she explains that she learned to sing by watching Mariah Carey, Beyoncé, and Whitney Houston, and it shows in her gratuitous-but-never-boring tendency toward showy runs. Basically, Grande’s oeuvre is full of near-perfect pop songs and it saves the whole movie. It’s impossible not to dance along as Ari winks and swishes her hair extensions to “Side To Side.”
The emotional climax of the film comes when, ahead of the final show of the tour, Grande chokes up during a speech to her crew of backup dancers and producers. “I know it’s been hard, and I know it’s been a lot, physically and mentally,” she tells them, “but like, this show for sure, for sure, for sure saved my life this year.”
In fact—and I swear I’m not making this up—by the 55-minute mark, the longest non-performance segment features the “thank u, next” singer telling a story about her dogs getting diarrhea. Though there is an amusing twist ending to the story (Grande had been FaceTiming with Broadway star Kristen Chenoweth at the time), a pet poop anecdote hardly qualifies as juicy or vulnerable behind-the-scenes dish.
Directed by Paul Dugdale, excuse me, i love you documents a few select moments from the 27-year-old’s 2019 Sweetener tour. The concert portions, filmed in London, are interspersed with footage of Grande giggling over an iPhone screen with different combinations of best friends and chatting with makeup artists over pre-show glam sessions.
About two-thirds of the way through, there is a very half-hearted attempt to broach the subject of politics. Grande shrieks with joy and falls to the ground upon receiving the news that Donald Trump was impeached. Unfortunately, this scene mainly has the effect of making it seem like she doesn’t know what impeachment means. It is followed by an accidentally hilarious title card that says “too bad he wasn’t convicted—thank god biden won anyway!”
The performance segments, though, are infectiously entertaining. In addition to a laundry list of best friends, Grande has stunning vocals. She flexes them right out of the gate, perfectly hitting a jaw-dropping whistle note in “God is a woman” within the first five minutes of the film. At one point, she explains that she learned to sing by watching Mariah Carey, Beyoncé, and Whitney Houston, and it shows in her gratuitous-but-never-boring tendency toward showy runs. Basically, Grande’s oeuvre is full of near-perfect pop songs and it saves the whole movie. It’s impossible not to dance along as Ari winks and swishes her hair extensions to “Side To Side.”
The emotional climax of the film comes when, ahead of the final show of the tour, Grande chokes up during a speech to her crew of backup dancers and producers. “I know it’s been hard, and I know it’s been a lot, physically and mentally,” she tells them, “but like, this show for sure, for sure, for sure saved my life this year.”