One of my favorite genres of movies is a modern musician documentary. I have always loved music and have idolized many artists over the years, and one of my favorite things is to get a glimpse into their life. Documentaries about people who are at the peak of their relevancy and fame are tough to pull off. That being said, Billie Eilish’s The World’s a Little Blurry blew me away. (Note: This review contains spoilers!). 

The World’s a Little Blurry was released February 26, 2021 on Apple’s streaming service. The movie runs for exactly 2 and a half hours and even includes an intermission. The intermission lasts a quick 15 seconds, which can be fast-forwarded through. The intermission serves less for the viewers’ comfort of watching and more for the pace of the movie, setting up a nice break between the two main halves of the film.  

Regardless of if you are a Billie Eilish fan, after viewing this documentary, you will gain a new respect for the 19-year-old artist. Because she is so close to my age, it resonated with me on a level I had not experienced before and got me wondering if I should be doing more to chase my own dream of becoming a musician. I found myself enraptured throughout the entire piece and was left in awe by the time it ended.  

Eilish rivals the success of an early Taylor Swift despite the fact that she dissented criticism that she was not established enough as an artist to warrant her own documentary already. However, the film itself shows you that that claim is far from true. In her short career, Eilish has already accomplished many incredible feats, like being the youngest headliner of Coachella and the youngest artist to take home the Album of the Year Grammy at 18 years old, taking the title from Taylor Swift.  

The documentary focuses on Eilish’s experience creating her debut album When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? The film takes an intimate look at her creative process, both for her songwriting and self-directed music videos. It shows her struggle to be authentic and not conform to mainstream music. The viewers are given a firsthand look at Eilish’s close relationship with her big brother and songwriting partner, FINNEAS, as well as her parents.  

Music documentaries are not made to be explicitly sad, but I end up crying to every one I watch. When Zayn buys his mom a house in One Direction: This Is Us, I cried. When Taylor Swift stands up for her political beliefs in Miss Americana, I cried.  However, The World’s a Little Blurry is the first music documentary that made me truly understand what a brutal career it can be.  

The part that ended up breaking me in this film began when Eilish was first approached by her middle school celebrity crush Justin Bieber. Bieber said he was a huge fan and wanted to collaborate, which lead to a remix of her single “bad guy.” It seemed as if Eilish had peaked by getting recognition from someone she had been a fan of for years, but it only got better for Eilish and more emotional for everyone watching when Eilish met Bieber at Coachella in a moment so precious that the tears welling up in my eyes turned to sobs. Bieber held Eilish in a deep embrace and she cried in his arms for a couple minutes.  

Many music documentaries can feel forced and fake, despite supposedly being about the authentic version of a celebrity. But Eilish, who is already a more “transparent” celebrity than most, shares her struggles during some of her darkest moments. As opposed to other celebrities who desperately hide their romantic relationships, Eilish doesn’t shy away from putting her breaking relationship with ex-boyfriend Q on display. Eilish even includes drawings and notebook entries that show her inner thoughts on everything from love to depression.  

This emotional transparency carries through to her performances. After breaking up with her boyfriend right before a show on her world tour, Eilish sings her song “i love you” in front of thousands. Eilish, understandably, gets very emotional during the performance, which becomes a little hard to watch. Her raw pain translates straight through the screen to every viewer.  

The media often calls Billie Eilish “the rarest of pop phenomena.” After viewing this film, you’ll likely agree with that assessment. With 5/5 stars, I strongly recommend this documentary, and Eilish’s music, to everyone. I would caution, however, that Eilish isn’t afraid to tackle darker themes. After being impressed by Eilish’s music and character, I cannot wait to see what else is in store for her.