Most of us know Morgan Spurlock as the star and director of “Super-Size Me,” in which he first-handedly explored the perils of the largest fast food chain in the world – McDonalds. Here he is nine years later, directing a movie that follows a British-Irish boy band and their journey to stardom.
“One Direction: This Is Us” attempts to capture the hearts of millions of fans around the world by providing a closer look into the lives of Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan, Liam Payne, and Harry Styles.
For those new to the story of 1D, all five members auditioned separately for the UK version of “The X Factor” back in 2010. It was a mutual decision between Simon Cowell and Louis Walsh that brought the lads together as what would be one of the biggest boy bands in the world.
Breaking records even the Beatles could not surpass, One Direction quickly rose to fame with the help of their dedicated and screaming Directioner fans who did not miss a concert, bought every album, and collected every poster. With the help of social media sites such as Twitter and exposure on television, their voices were hard to ignore.
Baring similarities to Miley Cyrus, the Jonas Brothers, and Justin Bieber’s concert movies, “This Is Us” is just that - another concert movie. There is much left to the imagination as we expect to unveil more about the boys’ personalities. Yes, Harry is sweet, Niall is adorable, Zayn is mysterious, Louis is hilarious, and Liam has a heart of gold, but we fans knew that already.
Now is a good time to admit that I am a Directioner, but as a Directioner, I wanted more. More footage, more behind the scenes, and more of what makes them beautiful, on the inside of course.
As the movie’s title suggests, “This Is Us” intends to establish a vivid picture of the boys as people rather than pop stars. I could have done without at least half of the concert footage, as most of the fans who watched this movie most likely attended a concert of their Take Me Home tour (August 9, 2013, best night ever!).
Between their pre-show rituals and crazy onstage antics, the boys prove that they can have fun in more ways than one. Sure, performing in front of thousands of fans is enough excitement for the ordinary person, but these boys find ways to entertain themselves just as normal teenage boys would. Playfully rehearsing a choreographed dance, viewers can confirm that this isn’t your typical boy band. Instead, they parade around the stage, pull pranks on one another, and change their lyrics to reference KFC.
Our closest venture into the world of their personal lives occurs when familial interactions and unexpected confessions are unleashed on screen.
The idea that these lads are normal boys having the time of their lives is a recurring theme throughout the movie. I would have liked to know more of who they are as people, but it was still enjoyable to watch. Unfortunately, it does not live up to its name.
