Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
Intense
Adventurous
Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird
October 17th marked the highly anticipated premiere of Demi Lovato’s documentary Demi Lovato: Simply Complicated, a YouTube original. And boy, did it deliver! Not only did the ad-supported film net more than one million views in its first 24 hours live on the service, but the film included everything from her past drug addiction to her experiences with love and sex. There are so many things this documentary does right, but the most important one is honesty. There’s no showy reenactments or overdramatic sobbing scenes as if I was watching The Pursuit of Happyness. It’s just Demi on a couch telling the story of her life so far. And as Demi put it in her opening monologue, “I’m learning how to be a voice and not a victim.”
The first half of this feature length documentary dives into Lovato’s early life and her struggle with drugs. She reveals that her drug addiction occurred during her rise to fame, specifically when she worked for Disney Channel. Her personal stories of lying and sneaking around to get high did not force judgment. Her tone and attitude as she looked back at those memories only made me root for her even more because I could see now how she overcame them. Through interviews with her family members and footage from her childhood, raw emotion consumed the screen as we learn the specifics of what our favorite pop star went through for many years.
The second part of the film talks about Lovato’s life now, including her recent break-up with her boyfriend of six years, Wilmer Valderrama, and her constant struggle with an eating disorder. All of these stories and explanations were beautifully intertwined with songs off her new album, Tell Me You Love Me. Footage of Lovato in the studio working on her vocals with her team coincide perfectly with the memories being discussed.
The best part of the entire film was Lovato’s attitude. No matter what she spoke about or what others said about her, she owned it. She remained in control of her emotions as she guided us through her world. Her unapologetic tone shows the courage and strength that came out of her past. And as her loyal fans, we continued to praise her until the ending credits.
The film ended with a collage of fan-made videos. This, in my opinion, makes YouTube the perfect platform for this documentary. By being featured on YouTube, Lovato puts the fans at the top of her priority list as she discloses everything she’s been through in the last 25 years. So get ready for an emotional rollercoaster, because Lovato’s leaving no stone unturned.
