Part of Me

Ever since I saw Katy Perry’s concert movie Katy Perry: Part of Me, I have generally shunned the radio while driving. Instead, I opt for the Katy Perry CD mix that I made after watching the movie. The windows are down and the mood is good as songs like “California Girls” and “Wide Awake” blare.

The film begins with a series of videos of fans voicing how Katy inspired them. We, as the audience, watch as they sing their own versions of her songs and we realize how impacting Ms. Perry is on her fans. In the movie, “Katy Kats” everywhere get to view the story of Katy’s transformation from aspiring Christian singer to energetic, rebellious teen trying to make it in L.A, to one of the most famous pop singers of the 21st century. But it all didn’t come easy. There were numerous bumps in the road Katy faced while trying to make a name for herself in L.A. Getting dropped from recording labels and running out of money are a couple of examples.

Katy Perry: Part of Me reaffirms how catchy and entertaining of an artist Katy is. The tour documentary shows another side of Katy as well, one that is difficult to recognize just through audio waves and television screens. That is, someone who is very hard working and genuine. Throughout the film, I was pleasantly surprised to see how down-to-earth and passionate of a dreamer Katy is. The movie documents Katy’s life during her 2011 “California Dreams” tour. It is a journey of music, choreography and performance, but also one of heartache, exhaustion and resilience.

The highlights of the film must be the concert scenes. To see her sing live must be extraordinary because the performances captured in this documentary are elaborate and complex. Katy dresses up in candy-themed costumes, such as a puffy dress lined with cupcakes and a candy buttons dress that lights up and changes colors. She also sports colorful wigs while she performs in front of giant swirly lollipops, candy canes, and fuzzy pink clouds. The creative theme makes you feel like you fell asleep and dreamt you were in a pop singer’s version of the Willy Wonka Chocolate Factory. There are explosions, confetti, beach balls, aerial lifts, peacock costumes… the list goes on! At the end of the concert, Katy even shoots the audience with a whip cream bazooka!

It’s great to see that Katy is an artist who gets involved with multiple steps of the tour. She doesn’t just perform; she helps create an identity for the tour that encompasses her uniqueness, creativity, and energy. As a producer of her own film, she was able to feature personal memories. Viewers get to see video blog diary entries, in which a young Katy discusses the struggles that come with trying to make it as a singer. Some great moments of the film come when Katy interacts with her family, including her sister Angela Hudson, who in one concert scene plays Perry’s alter-ego Kathy Beth Terry (better known as the nerdy chick from the “Last Friday Night” music video). Scenes where Perry’s grandmother expresses her opinions about Katy’s music career are hilarious. Family scenes like these show a very real, down-to-earth side of the pop star.

We even see her at her most vulnerable moments. A few scenes capture the emotional toll of her divorce to British comedian, Russell Brand, including one in which Katy breaks down and sobs only moments before she has to go on stage. These honest and personal moments offer an unguarded view to the singer, who also included many shots of her without make-up and in sweats, which many other artists may have barred from the screen.

Concert tour films have been making music in theaters in recent years. Miley Cyrus kicked off the recent pop artist trend in 2008 with Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour movie. Since then, artists like Justin Bieber, the Jonas Brothers, and the cast of Glee have taken their act to the big screen. JBiebs holds the number one spot for music concert movies, while Katy Perry’s flick has been solid enough to earn the fourth spot. Surrounded by films that featured artists who got their starts from television or internet-based platforms, Perry, who had no such launching pad, holds her own. It’s inspiring to see someone who was far from an overnight success story still be able to make it big.

When the film was over, part of me wished there were more scenes that showed Katy the person instead of Katy the singer, as well as more insight into her pre-famous years. But overall the movie was an entertaining inside peek into the life and career of a talented superstar. If you are a fan of Katy Perry, you will definitely enjoy this movie; and if you’re not fan, then you just might be by the time the credits roll.