As an avid X Factor fan I definitely watched the group form before my very eyes but in absolute all honesty, X Factor 2010 was about one act and one act only for me – the incredible Wagner (he was robbed!). One Direction kind of passed me by and when they left the competition in third place and Zayn uttered those token words ‘This isn’t the last you’ve heard from us!’ I didn’t think they’d be any different to all of the other acts who had left the show over its seven series; I didn’t think for a second that they really would end up taking over the World.
Either way, as One Direction embarked on their insane career I went about my life, I never thought badly of them or disliked them; I just didn’t really notice them. Then one day last September I was in the foyer before a very intimate, last-minute film screening when I noticed someone come through the door, I looked up and thought to myself ‘Ha, that guy really looks like Harry Styles…’ As he got closer that changed to ‘Ha, that guy is Harry Styles.’ I approached the bar at the venue and Harry turned to me, smiled and said ‘Hi, I’m Harry’ as he warmly shook my hand. He continued to be friendly, conversational and take an actual interest in what I had to say. I was taken aback by how open and friendly he was, and to put it simply, Harry wasn’t ‘nice for a famous person’, he was nice for a person and I have to admit that I was a little shocked by just how humble, lovely and down-to-earth he was for somebody who is one of the most famous people on the planet.
As I said, I never thought badly of One Direction nor do I believe anything that I read in papers but Harry was just so lovely and personable that following our meeting I found myself taking a gradual interest in their career; starting with following him on twitter and ending with me frantically trying to learn their album tracks on my way to the screening for One Direction’s brand new, feature-length documentary film on Tuesday night.
The Film: I was a bit nervous going in to the film, I was worried that as i’m not what you would call a ‘Directioner’ I wouldn’t ‘get’ or wouldn’t care about what I was about to see. I was wary that this might just be a film to cater to the desires of their millions of devoted fans and any other stray who might happen upon it would be lost. However, as it happens I feel This Is Us caters to the needs of those who know nothing about them and dedicated fans alike. It opens with a bit of a recap of how they got to where they are now, reliving their solo X Factor auditions alongside interviews with the boys themselves and, of course, Mr. Simon Cowell. There was something quite nostalgic and endearing about being reminded of these five fresh-faced boys who auditioned for a talent show 3 years ago, completely unaware that their entire lives were about to be flipped upside down. One of the stand out anecdotes of the film for me was from this time when the boys were reminiscing and one of them reveals that when they were asked by X Factor producers to stay behind once they had all been eliminated as solo artists Harry was having a strop saying that they only wanted to keep them back to capture the young boys crying on camera and make it into entertainment for the show. It was these kind of quips that truly capture the innocence and naivety of the 5 boys who auditioned, who never would have even dreamed that just 3 years later they would be on top of the World.
The majority of the documentary is tracking the boys as they travel around the World on their huge arena tour and it is with the inclusion of the live performances of their biggest hits that the 3D aspect of the film really has a time to shine. The precision and sharpness of the 3D really brings the boys to life and the effect was so good that at times it gave an almost hologram-like feel that made it look as though they were really stood performing a few feet in front of you. Director Morgan Spurlock also had a lot of fun with extra effects; making the space invader and pacman backgrounds of the show come to life and swirl around the cinema – putting on a pretty incredible display! The 3D also helped the audience grasp a better idea of the venues that the boys are selling out and performing in – their largest capacity venue was in Mexico with 60,000 fans… Just the 3D look into the crowd from the stage was enough to make me nervous and jittery – and I wasn’t the one that was going to be performing!
Simon Cowell said before the screening started that this documentary not only gives you an insight into the boys lives but also to what it is like being in a successful band and one of the biggest things that the audience will learn is just how hard the boys works and how difficult having the ‘dream career’ may be at times. Day after day they are performing at a different venue, unable to even go outside without being ambushed by fans and I couldn’t help but feel for Zayn when he is woken up after 10 minutes sleep after their concert so he can go and record the vocals for their new song. The hard work and difficulty was also drummed home when it came to, well, their homes. Louis’ mum revealed that he has been home 5 times in 2 and a half years and there was a particularly touching moment as Liam’s dad shared how difficult it is to watch your son grow up through TV and magazine interviews and not having him around to do the usual father-son bonding. The small snippets from the boy’s parents were one of my favourite parts in the film as it gave a realistic representation of how hard it is for loved ones of the stars, as well as the stars themselves, and it also reinforced how humble and down to earth the boys have stayed, most likely due to their normal families that support them. Harry’s mum made the poignant, if painful, comment that she knows that she has to be careful not to get swept away by all the fame as she is aware it could all end just as suddenly as it began and if it does it will be down to her to pick up the pieces. Another moment of self-awareness that perfectly depicts a band who haven’t let fame and success carry away all sense of reason and realism.
Aside from the hard work, the documentary of course gives an insight into some backstage shenanigans and proves that these 5 boys, no matter how famous, are just like everybody else; as Niall says they are normal people that just happen to have abnormal jobs. They work hard but they also have tonnes of fun and I really enjoyed seeing what a strong and brotherly relationship they all seem to have with eachother and they prove themselves to be a solid unit that might squabble and tease like siblings but at the end of it you can see that they are all there for eachother and love eachother. Another highlight for me that also shows this is when the boys go camping and have a deep, philosophical discussion about their fame and how they will want to be remembered whilst gathered around a campfire. Even Zayn, who is renowned for being the mysterious quiet one, has a chance for his sweet personality to shine through and I am sure you have all heard of the tearjerker of a moment where he buys his mum and sisters a new house; it’s moments like this that give you a deeper insight into the boys behind the fame. Seeing them all clown around with eachother and have fun with their fame and the potential hardships that come with their grueling schedule made the boys all the more likable and appealing. I am sure that Directioners know each of the boys like the back of their hand but as a newbie I liked gradually learning all of their different quirks, from small things like Niall’s Irish-flag ear piece to the way they all grouped together and sang ‘Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, It’s off to work we go!‘ before going on stage. The fact that they are aware of the influence they have over their devoted fans and use it to ask everybody coming to their gig to wear orange… And the fact that it works, you just can’t help but be in awe of that kind of power. It’s this dash of humour and personality that is apparent throughout the film that showcases exactly why they are so loved and even if you are not a fan of their music, you can’t deny what humble and entertaining guys they are.
All in all, this film had a great mixture of laugh out loud moments and tear-jerking moments. The performances were good and the boys themselves could not come across any better; as a viewer you get an insight into the hard work that goes into their careers and see exactly why they are so popular and why they are adored by millions across the globe. However, in all honesty the film wasn’t completely flawless…
My personal highlights were the parts with their family and the more intimate aspects of their lives, and these moments were quite scarce. Although you get a huge insight into their working live you get very little into the day-to-day moments when they are not rehearsing or performing. I have seen criticism of the film for not including any of the girlfriends but this is something I actually agree with; this is a film about One Direction, not X, Y and Z or quick flings who might have been caught on camera. I don’t feel girlfriends are appropriate or necessary in depicting the boys but I do strongly feel that more from their family, the ones who have known them all their lives and raised them, would have been a really great touch and perhaps added a little more heart as the few moments that did feature the parents were always the most emotional. It felt a little like One Direction opened their doors to the audience, but didn’t let them all the way in and whilst I can appreciate why they may not have wanted more of their private life in the final cut, it is a little disappointing when watching a film about their life!
I also feel that the ending was incredibly abrupt; this isn’t an awful thing, if anything it simply means that I would have happily sat and watched another hour or so but there just seemed to be little build up to it being the final moments and when the screen went black there was an air of confusion in the cinema; it would have been good to hear what they plan to do next or their hopes for the future but instead it just kind of ends… But the funny outtakes as the credits roll kind of make up for this. A bit.
Other than that all I have to say is look out for Chris Rock, prepare yourself for a lot of topless Harry, take some tissues and even if you are not a fan just give it a go. It is interesting and entertaining even if you know nothing about them and you never know, you just might come out a fan!
By @Stephanie_Fox check out more film reviews by Steph here - http://stephanielikesfilms.wordpress.com/
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