Review of Katy Perry: Part of Me (2012) by Joe A — 20 Sep 2012

Despite the fact that Katy Perry had enjoyed a huge amount of success in her short career as both performer and pin-up, she only has two albums out and a documentary about her path to stardom does seem a bit premature.

But, Part Of Me is more a fan aimed glimpse into her backstage life with back-story on her quest for stardom since she was a child in a strict Evangelical Christian household. It paints the picture of a young girl who worked hard and against all odds to find fame and who has still held on to her humble girl-next-door self despite being one of the hottest acts in showbiz and the first woman to have five number one singles off of one album.

Indeed Perry seems to be like a big kid in a candy store even though she also appears to be a workaholic when it comes to giving her fans the candy colored circus that is her stage show. And she does seem to be a very sweet person at heart.

Of course we are all different when there are cameras on us but, there is a feeling of sincerity here so we have no reason to not believe it. The flick also documents her heart break at the falling apart of her marriage to comedian/bad boy Russell Brand and you do feel really bad for her as it was obviously a very painful experience as she realizes she's not in the fairy tale relationship she wanted to be.

The documentary actually spends a decent amount of time on this for something that starts out so light and fluffy and these are the parts that really make you believe Perry is still just a normal girl beneath the increasingly outrageous outfits.

A scene showing her in hysterics right before a show and then gathering herself together in seconds as she is propelled up on stage arriving before her fans with a huge smile despite a broken heart, comes across as too genuine to be an act and really tugs at your heartstrings.

Whether it really is all legit or well made Perry propaganda, it does portray one of today's biggest pop stars as the woman her fans want to believe she is. And as such, has done it's job. May not have that much more subtance then one of her songs but, in a way that is oddly appropriate.