Wrists weighed down by dozens of beaded bracelets. Groups of friends recreating their favorite Taylor Swift outfits. Little girls jumping up and down, belting the “All Too Well” bridge. This seems like a scene straight out of Taylor Swift’s famous concert, The Eras Tour. In a way, it was. While I wasn’t able to see Taylor perform in person, last Friday I was able to go see the “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” movie. Please run, don’t walk, to the nearest AMC theater and watch this film right now. I’m not exaggerating when I say you can experience the best parts of Taylor’s show-stopping chart-topping performance for less than $15.
I should probably admit that I don’t consider myself a Swiftie. I’m a casual listener in the way only a Taylor Swift fan can be—I have three of her posters on my dorm wall, know most of her songs and am almost certain that she will be making an appearance on my Spotify Wrapped this year. I only got into her music last summer, and for financial and logistical reasons, going to The Eras Tour in person never crossed my mind.
When I first heard about “Taylor Swift: the Eras Tour”, I assumed it was a film I would inevitably watch at some point. Probably over Thanksgiving break, seeing as some of my friends at home consider Taylor to be their favorite musical artist. I would have been fine waiting until then, but last Friday a different friend texted me that she had an extra ticket to the movie, so I seized the opportunity. We took an Uber to a theater close to campus where I was impressed to be greeted by a situation very similar to this summer’s hype over the “Barbie” movie: practically everyone was dressed up, wearing either Taylor merch or a Taylor costume. I spotted several people, unsurprisingly, wearing her Eras tour sweatshirt among other concert paraphernalia. Some of the Swifties had recreated her “Red” outfit. Others were dressed in cloaks, which Taylor fans know actually encapsulate quite a few of her albums—“Reputation,” “Evermore” and “Midnights,” to name a few. (Unfortunately I was personally unable to throw together an outfit worthy of the occasion.)
The theater was packed with tweenage girls, teenage girls and, of course, the occasional dad or two. Like with the “Barbie” movie, the theater felt like a completely safe space for young women. All of us had come into the AMC with a common goal: see Taylor Swift and have a good time. In other words, it was a low energy fandom activity—we could all engage with fellow fans without braving the overwhelming crowds we would have faced in a real concert stadium.
The movie itself is an art piece—a celebration of femininity that encapsulates the human experience by walking the viewer through Taylor’s emotional journey. It opened with “Miss Americana and the Heartbreak Prince” and took us through the tour’s entire setlist, including “Don’t Blame Me”, “My Tears Ricochet” and the beloved “Midnights” song, “You’re on Your Own Kid.” I got an amazing view of Taylor and the intricate Broadway-worthy sets she uses for her songs—sets that until last Friday, I had only seen in brief clips online. The vocals and the visuals of her performance are absolutely phenomenal.
By the end of the film, I truly felt like I had been to the Eras Tour without spending the time, effort or money, going to the actual tour would have required. Honestly, seeing the movie may have been a better experience than going to the concert—visually, I got a view of Taylor that would have been impossible (or at least astronomically expensive) to experience in person. My only criticism (which is more of a word to the wise) is that it’s important to understand “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” exists as a way to live, or relive, the concert. It’s not a documentary, or a behind the scenes view of Taylor’s creative process. It’s also nearly three hours long. If that doesn’t appeal to you, skip it. However, if you’re a Swiftie who was unable to make it to the live tour, this movie is an appealing consolation prize.
