By Jenna Clark
“Careful with all the pillows and all the art,” are not the first words one expects to hear at the onset of a celebrity documentary. Yet these are the words that begin “Demi Lovato: Simply Complicated.” Lovato chose to begin her documentary by illustrating the meticulous behind-the-scenes efforts that are put forth in photo shoots.
Throughout the piece, interview clips of Lovato are displayed. “I actually had anxiety around this interview because the last time I did an interview this long, I was on cocaine” Lovato said.
Lovato can be praised for her willingness to discuss topics that may be viewed as uncomfortable such as her drug addiction. In comparison to most other celebrity documentaries, Lovato quickly demonstrates the stark reality for those quickly reaching fame at a young age. The primary focus is on Lovato’s previous drug addiction and her journey to sobriety as well as her continuing struggles with eating disorders.
This documentary does not take the “cookie-cutter” approach that most others follow. Instead, Lovato chooses to constantly switch from scene to scene, showing clips of her passionately working in the studio, interview clips, concert footage, fan videos and interviews with other prominent people in Lovato’s life.
“Simply Complicated” features musical sensations Nick and Joe Jonas, who have known Lovato from her early teenage years and offer their views on her and how they have watched her progress as a young popstar to a grown musician.
The input about Lovato provided by her family, friends and team doesn’t seem like content that was read off of a teleprompter; it feels more like their raw thoughts. Having known Lovato for a majority of her life, these people have seen her struggle and advance on her journey to recovery and success.
One is able to recognize that Lovato is surrounded by a core group of people who are genuinely concerned about her well-being, instead of taking advantage of her for the monetary and luxury advantages that come with fame.
Although drug addiction and Lovato’s personal struggles are at the forefront of the documentary, there are also several portions which show her humorous, fun side.
Throughout the documentary, one views Lovato’s clever and unique sense of humor with her random jokes and comments. Some of my favorite parts of the documentary were those where one was able to see sober Lovato enjoying life and going through normal, everyday events.
In the scenes where Lovato attends “Emo Nite” and chats about romance with her best friends, one is able to see that celebrities live normal lives too, despite what the media might portray.
Lovato also dedicates several scenes of the documentary to discussing the unique bond she maintains with her fans. Lovato expresses pure gratitude, saying “I wouldn’t be alive today without my fans.”
The documentary concludes positively with some final remarks from Lovato’s team as well as from Lovato herself about how she has progressed as a person and a musician. The documentary ends with a beautiful montage of fans singing Lovato’s hit “Stone Cold.”
