DOCO | 'Gaga: Five Foot Two' is on Netflix now!
'Gaga: Five Foot Two' is an American documentary that goes behind the scenes with pop provocateur Lady Gaga as she releases a bold new album and prepares for her Super Bowl Halftime Show.
While fans are granted a glimpse into Gaga's personal life - an emotional visit to her Grandmother's home, the admission of her loneliness and an explanation as to why her relationships have failed, the documentary captures what seems to be only the surface of what Lady Gaga is all about.
The documentary is no 'Amy' - the 2015 documentary about the late, great Amy Winehouse. At times, it feels as though the documentary is more just an extended trailer, leaving the viewer unable to properly connect with the talented songstress.
Yes, Gaga is a gifted musician who has experienced a lot of unpleasantness (hence her work with abused teens and the homeless), and her desire to feel like she has some sort of control in her life is interesting enough; however, the documentary itself is filmed from a distance with no real insight into the gritty preparations of Gaga's taking to the stage.
'Gaga: Five Foot Two' promoted that it would show Gaga's "most intimate moments". We see how they can get away with this, but it's hardly the deep, heartfelt documentary film we were hoping for, especially following Katy Perry's 'Part of Me' concert film in 2012 showing a depressed, heartbroken Perry who was determined to overcome her deep upset for the sake of her fans.
When her close friend is diagnosed with cancer, Gaga's heartbreak is evident, and her strength to carry on is admirable, but viewers would have liked access to their special relationship so as to really empathise with the musician following her friend's passing.
Interestingly though, it does seem a little off that Gaga's "creative" team shows little attempt to gain an insight into her new image. Gaga is a force to be reckoned with, but viewers would expect her team to step up where necessary. Gaga touches upon this herself, talking openly about how lonely she is once everyone goes home at the end of the day. As a viewer, you can't help but notice how the talented musician is surrounded by people who glorify her as Lady Gaga rather than offering honest, genuine advice or support to the real her - Stefani Germanotta.
Fans of Mother Monster will relish this documentary, but for those of us with only a general appreciation for her music, awkwardly placed scenes (like when Gaga goes topless for no apparent reason) seem only an attempt to appear provocative and provide 'click bait' type material to promote the film on social media, which is a real shame.
Look out for minor appearances by big name celebs, including Florence Welch (Florence and the Machine), with whom you'll see in a recording session with the mega-star. You'll also see a snippet of Gaga on the set of 'American Horror Story', in self-confessed 'minor meltdown' mode.
'Gaga: Five Foot Two' is available on Netflix Australia now.
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