Demi Lovato: Simply Complicated
Demi Lovato: Simply Complicated
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Demi Lovato: Simply Complicated is a documentary about the Disney child star-turned-pop superstar. Early on, Lovato says that the last time they'd been interviewed, they were high on cocaine. Later, viewers see visuals of cocaine getting cut into lines with a razor blade. Lovato speaks frankly about the intense bullying they suffered as a tween; classmates created a "suicide petition" directed at them. Other topics include mental health, eating disorders, and how it was all magnified by the pressures of child stardom. The "it's lonely at the top" theme is heightened as Lovato discusses the hard work and dedication required to succeed in entertainment. "F--k" is bleeped repeatedly; other words include "bitch" and "hell." Lovato says they enjoy casual sex, and there's talk of how they want to "close the deal" on a date. While much of the film is devoted to showing how Lovato stays successful after their struggles, it also raises questions of how these struggles are different for people without access to support and resources like rehab programs, personal trainers, chefs, managers, and even therapy sessions. Some of the "real talk" about Lovato's problems is overshadowed by their pop-star life of clubbing, dating celebrities, and so on. Lovato is shown working in the studio and performing, but there's not much talk of actual music. At the end, there's a brief mention of their fans and literally one second showing them doing charity work.
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What's the Story?
DEMI LOVATO: SIMPLY COMPLICATED covers the rise and fall and rise of the beloved pop singer. It shows the dual forces that seem to have been with them from the very beginning: While a natural-born singer with tremendous talent first seen on Barney & Friends, they were also depressed at a young age and suffered from body issues. As their career blew up as a tween Disney star on As the Bell Rings and Camp Rock, Lovato was also mercilessly bullied by other students at their school and began experimenting with drugs and alcohol. At age 19, Lovato was in their first year of sobriety and trying to work through their inner demons, which were exacerbated by the intense pressures of childhood stardom. Now, at 25 and with a new album out, Lovato is achieving even higher levels of success, even as they battle the daily struggles of addiction, eating disorders, and mental illness and are shown to be, for the first time in their life, in charge of who they are and how they choose to live and perform.
Is It Any Good?
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.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about music documentaries. What are the ways in which Demi Lovato: Simply Complicated is an attempt to show the life and times of Demi Lovato, and what are the ways in which it feels like a promotional video advertising the newest phase in their evolving career?
How does Lovato compare to pop singers from prior generations?
What are the takeaways from the documentary concerning Lovato's messages on drug and alcohol addiction, eating disorders, bullying, dating, sex, and the highs and lows of fame?
How "real" do you feel this documentary is? Lovato produced it; do you think it would have been more "real" if they hadn't been involved in creating it?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: October 17, 2017
- Cast: Demi Lovato, Nick Jonas, Billy Ray Cyrus
- Director: Hannah Lux Davis
- Studio: YouTube
- Genre: Documentary
- Topics: Music and Sing-Along
- Character Strengths: Perseverance
- Run time: 78 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: February 26, 2022
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