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Parents' Guide to

Demi Lovato: Simply Complicated

By Brian Costello, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Pop star reveals struggles in raw docu; drug addiction, sex.

Movie NR 2017 78 minutes
Demi Lovato: Simply Complicated Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

age 12+

Based on 1 parent review

age 12+

The best!

Amazing, inspiring and honest. Being a celeb isn’t that easy. She has been through a lot to achieve her dreams. That’s why I love Demi.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1 ):
Kids say (3 ):

This revealing YouTube documentary is sure to be popular with fans of the pop star, although music isn't the focus. Instead, Simply Complicated is about Demi Lovato the lifestyle, persona, and former child star turned mid-20s recovering addict who managed to overcome may challenges (substance addiction, eating disorders, mental health issues, bullying, a manipulative biological father) to live and perform in the way they want to live and perform.

Fans of Lovato will love their openness about their Disney-star past, their former boyfriends, and their present life as an outspoken pop star unafraid to discuss and reveal their sexuality. Cynics may wonder whether it's all a rebranding scheme like that of Miley Cyrus, another well-known child star whose image went from wholesome to provocative. Ultimately, the documentary veers back and forth between what Lovato chooses to reveal (they were also an executive producer of the film, which means they could say when "too real" was too real) and the type of self-centered entitlement the rest of us have come to expect from celebrities. It's worth mentioning that literally one second is devoted to showing Lovato engaged in charity work -- the only second of the movie not devoted to their life and career.

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