Katy Perry is so close to being human it’s almost scary. She has the basic emotions of humans down and applies them correctly, but doesn’t quite seem to know how to use them. But there’s no denying her alien mind control. It’s awesome.
Quite frankly, I’ve never seen anybody who looked quite so plain without makeup. Is it just because I expect her to resemble a neon day-glo Hamburglar? And as with so many people who hide their true face, I am left wondering what’s behind the mask. In a 94 minute movie, Katy Perry is never once shown without either a costume or company or both. The prevailing line throughout this hardly groundbreaking look at the life of a touring pop star is that Katy’s popularity stems from how real she is. How would you know? I suggest that one can never fully comprehend the mind capable of falling for Russell Brand.
Katy Perry: Part of Me taught me more about Katy than the Justin Bieber or Jonas Brothers concert documentaries 
taught me about them. Question is, what do I do with that information? Take for instance the fact that Katy is on tour, right? And she’s a big deal, so the tour is godawful long and global. And every two weeks, she gets in her private jet, flies to where Russell Brand is, and spends the “free time” (often about two or three days) with him. It is a gesture impressive in devotion and waste. And you want to be floored by the length anyone would go to spend time with Russell Brand, but the couple breaks before the year ends, in effect nullifying the magnitude of the gesture.
Katy’s touring album had five (5) #1 hits. I believe it tied a record set by Michael Jackson for most #1s on an album written by a dangerously insane person. She does a meet and greet with fans before every concert; she does seem to connect with them, which is fantastic. And yet … within the interspersed musical concert numbers, there are two songs truly representative of the emotional intention of the film – one, a devotion to her fans, is “I Want to Dance with Somebody.” Later, her break-up is symbolized by “Hey Jude.” Five #1s on one album alone and the two most telling numbers in the documentary were both written by other people. Hmmmmm.
This is not a screaming-with-ecstasy concert film. Sure, the people on screen are excited. The audience? Well, it’s not like Katy’s past is a big mystery. I imagine many people came out because they couldn’t score Katy Perry tickets when she toured. On that angle, I wish there were a few more concert numbers and a little less Katy herself; there’s only so much wisdom I choose to absorb from somebody who begins every public appearance wearing pinwheels on her breasts.
I float like a butterfly/it stings when I pee
“Hey, that’s not fair!”/Says Katy Perry
You dress like a clown/Your pop has no equal
Kiss a girl again/and I’ll see the sequel
Rated PG, 94 Minutes
D: Dan Cutforth, Jane Lipsitz
W: all y’all. I hope you’re proud of youselves.
Genre: Overhyped celebrity
Type of person most likely to enjoy this film: Diva worshippers
Type of person least likely to enjoy this film: Old people
