Parents' Guide to Billie Eilish: Hit Me Hard and Soft - The Tour Live in 3D

This entertaining concert film emphasizes the extraordinary emotional connection between Billie Eilish and her young fans. James Cameron and Eilish co-directed Hit Me Hard and Soft - The Tour Live in 3D, with the singer operating one of the cameras during her shows. But they don't delve too deeply into her biography or offer much that longtime fans won't already know. Eilish is portrayed as a young, gifted performer who asks animal rescues to let the crew play with puppies before a show and makes a point of interacting with devoted fans because she remembers being one. Cameron includes one brief revelatory scene in which Eilish explains why she doesn't feel the need to wear hyperfeminine outfits, but he doesn't probe much further into issues of gender expectations or sexuality. Instead, he and Eilish let the music speak for itself.

And the music does just that. Even audiences new to her work may be surprised by the number of emotional teen concertgoers who are thrilled to share the experience together. Eilish is far from the only modern pop artist whose fans dress like her at a concert; Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, Dua Lipa, and Chappell Roan all come to mind, too. But it's notable that Eilish sticks to one down-to-earth look for her shows (including a cap, a custom oversized jersey, baggy streetwear shorts, and chunky sneakers), does her own hair and makeup, and still channels the energy of a solo rapper with a hype man for the entire show. It's impressive, if unsurprising, to see such a young performer connecting so intimately with her audience, to the point that many credit her and her music with helping them or even saving their lives. Those hoping for in-depth personal revelations will have to wait for a more traditional documentary, but as a concert film, this delivers.