Movie Review: “Katy Perry: Part of Me”

By: Lynn Barker

Part concert movie, part biography, Katy Perry: Part of Me, takes us along on the singer-songwriter’s year-long world tour after introducing us to Katy’s uber-religious parents, her crew, her devoted and inspired fans and her long struggle to make music….her way. 

Katy in her opening tour number

A gorgeous Katy at the film's premiere

Katy in the movie

Katy gets ready for a concert

Little Katy

After fans, ages 10 to 19 tell us how Katy has inspired them to be themselves, stick to their own beliefs and follow their dreams, we see some of the music star’s early years, singing in church, getting her first guitar and recording a Christian album before becoming an older teen and leaving home for L.A. where she decided to change her music and branch out. Katy struggled with various record companies that just didn’t “get” her sound.  At one low point, she asked her 16-year-old bro to loan her some money.

Katy gets ready for a concert

Backstage on Tour

We see Katy with zero make-up (she looks sooo different) trying on crazy costumes and cracking jokes with her sister who travels with her, her assistants, manager, dancers, make-up artist, costume designer etc. all who tell us how fair and real Katy is. She does countless meet and greets with superfans. Wearing one very colorful outfit she says “How can you ever be too cartooney?” We get a glimpse of future husband Russell Brand encouraging her in the background. We see her struggle to do all her concerts and still fly all over the world to be a wife to Russell. At one point, in a car with Russell driving she quips, “Yikes, I’ve never been on a freeway with him!”

Katy backstage trying on costumes

On Stage

Various colorful musical numbers are seen (in cool 3-D) throughout the movie as Katy belts out her hits and brings fans on stage to dance with her. Sometimes, she’s energetic and for other performances, she struggles to fake it because she is sad (when her marriage to Russell breaks up). We see her tears. She is there for the fans despite exhaustion and heartbreak.

Katy in her opening tour number

Interviews

The film includes various interviews with Katy, old and new and an especially sad one when she talks about her struggle to combine marriage and a demanding career and her sorrow that it wasn’t possible for her. Funny scenes when Katy visits her feisty and hilarious grandma in Las Vegas balance out the personal angst.

Songs on stage…

Classic his and new:

“I Kissed a Girl”

“Hot N Cold”

“California Gurls”

“Firework”

“E.T.,”

“Part of Me,”

“Teenage Dream,”

 “Peacock”

And a lot more…

Wrapping Up:  Fairy-tale colorful, inspirational, feisty, determined, wacky and honest and of course, very talented… That’s the impression the filmgoer gets of Katy and her music. Fans glow with the same determination:  “She followed her dream and I can too”. “I can be me and not be swayed by what others expect from me”.  Katy says she wants her fans to leave her concerts “happy with a shimmer in their eyes”.

I was very impressed by how very “real” the star’s behind-the-scenes moments seemed to be. She isn’t afraid to let us see her bare face and bare emotions as she goes through a very exciting yet emotionally devastating year. You’ll have fun and maybe also shed a tear while dancing to Ms. Perry’s tunes.

In some theaters, you are surrounded by balloon displays, walk on a pink carpet and can get your picture taken as if you are on stage with Katy (they’ll e-mail it to you). Check your local cinemas to see if they are onboard with Katy fever. Not perfect as a documentary or a concert film alone, but combined, this enjoyable film gets 4 stars.  

Katy Perry: Part of Me: 

LISTEN TO WHAT FANS AT THE TWITTER SNEAK PREVIEWS ACROSS THE USA HAD TO
SAY ABOUT katy's new movie!