Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry (2021) Movie Review
I’m a sucker for music documentaries, especially about pop stars. And Billie Eilish has become one of the biggest pop stars in the last few years. Her music is edgy and she is eccentric so her documentary seemed like it would be entertaining and compelling. The director, R.J. Cutler, is no stranger to documentaries having directed Belushi (2020) and The World According to Dick Cheney (2013). Cutler works his magic here. The World’s a Little Blurry is long, capping off at two hours and twenty minutes. There isn’t a through line to the narrative the way you sometimes see in music docs (ie in Never Say Never when there’s a countdown to the penultimate Madison Square Garden show). Cutler meanders through Eilish’s life observing her in different situations and scenarios. He doesn’t use a lot of old video footage showing Billie as some sort of a child prodigy although a few videos are shown of Billie being musically inclined as a kid. Most of the focus is on the present.
We enter the picture while Billie and her brother Finneas are creating songs in his bedroom for her 2019 album When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? This is right before Billie’s stardom reaches its peak. A lot of time is spent with Billie’s family which includes brother Finneas, mother Maggie, and father Patrick. The surrealism of having a teenage daughter who is famous is on full display during the scenes at home. Billie’s parents muse about her growing up and how best to protect and support her throughout the documentary. Of course the music is at the center of the documentary. There are countless scenes of Billie and Finneas running through songs and working on production. Cutler infuses those moments with some tour moments where we can see Billie’s voice live.
The World’s a Little Blurry also highlights Billie’s battles with anxiety and depression. She is under a microscope and worries what the Internet will think of certain songs or things she does. These are very Gen Z moments but it’s amplified times a million due to her fame. She also battles some physical ailments including an ankle injury and fatigue. In fact, we don’t often see her when she’s not working. She’s mostly singing, performing, meeting industry people, or writing songs. The high demand on artists who reach the level of popularity that Eilish has reached is showcased beautifully here including a meltdown moment where Eilish is forced to meet industry execs when she hasn’t been prepped for it. You can see the fast pace of her life and completely understand the worries of her parents as they help her navigate it.
Cutler makes sure to show her high points too as she wins a boatload of Grammy’s in back to back years. With her nonstop schedule and winning so many awards it’s easy to forget that she’s just a kid. Cutler does well to remind us of this by showing her first car and interviewing her dad about how nervous he is to let her drive on her own. The World’s a Little Blurry drags a bit here and there but for the most part is an enjoyable watch about the rise of a teen pop singer phenom who is struggling with mental health issues while balancing unprecedented levels of fame.
Film or Movie: Movie
You’ll like this movie if:
1. You like Billie Eilish or her music
2. You like music documentaries
3. You want to see an honest look and portrayal of mental health
