She has nearly 50 million monthly listeners on Spotify. She won the Grammy for Album of the Year — along with four others — for her debut album. She’s an international celebrity, a teen icon and a fan favorite.
And she only just became a legal adult.
Now Billie Eilish, 19-year-old dark pop star, has her own documentary. Apple TV’s “Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry” directed by R.J. Cutler, premiered Friday on the platform and in limited theaters.
In terms of production, Cutler delivers a very well-made film. Whenever scenes take place in Eilish’s home, it doesn’t feel like a movie is being shot but instead like the audience is almost there with them, in a bedroom-turned recording studio.
The chronological framework of the film helps to pace this almost 2.5 hour long slice of Eilish’s life, although the hefty run time can feel a bit slow at points.
Performances from her tours spliced throughout the film are without a doubt electrifying, but became a tad oversaturated because of how often they were used.
The film follows Eilish over the course of about a year, from her 17th birthday to her 18th. In this time frame, we see the creation of her first album, “When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?” and get a peek into her personal life.
Eilish is genuine and raw in this film — coming across as just a true, quirky teen — doing things like arguing with her mom, being with her boyfriend and learning how to drive. Her genuineness is surprising and touching given her level of success.
The film shows how Eilish made her Grammy-winning album with her older brother Finneas — not in a major recording studio, but rather in her childhood home. The triumphant album’s simple roots humanize Eilish’s overwhelming success and make the viewer see her for the talented teenager she is instead of putting her on a pedestal.
The film also explores deeper themes, such as the Grammy-winner’s mental health and that of her fans, striking a genuine, true chord in a generation overwhelmed by mental health challenges.
Eilish reveals in the film that she has struggled taking care of her own mental well-being as well. But she talks about transforming her own struggles into art to find healing, and the importance of being able to emotionally connect to music.
Personally, I’ve only really listened to Eilish’s radio hits such as “bad guy” and “my strange addiction.” But this documentary made me want to go listen to more of her music.
There’s something really compelling and admirable about how this entire album was a creation of a 17-year-old and her older brother just making music at home.
If you are a fan of Eilish, this would absolutely be an immediate must-watch, but even if you are only familiar with her hits, I’d still recommend it for casual watching.
It strikes an emotional, yet sincere, tone, and overall was a great watch.
I’m in! Sounds like a fun Friday flick!