First reactions praise Taylor Swift documentary 'Miss Americana' as 'illuminating, empowering'

Taylor Swift and director Lana Wilson received a rousing standing ovation onstage following the world premiere of their new documentary "Miss Americana," which opened the Sundance Film Festival Thursday night.

The Netflix-look behind the scenes of the popstar's life (available on streaming and select theaters Jan. 31) has already set off a social media frenzy, fueled further by Swift's candid revelations on body image issues and struggles to overcome an eating disorder.

Based on the early social media reaction, the assembled world's film media was impressed with the film and emotional insight.

"As someone who’s covered Taylor Swift’s music and career for news over the past decade, I found #MissAmericana to be a compelling snapshot," tweeted Piya Sinha-Roy, senior film editor for The Hollywood Reporter.

Sinha-Roy noted that big issues such as Swift's feud with former manager Scooter Braun are covered in the film, that "doesn’t address everything...but she’s taking charge of her narrative. Gotta respect that."

Leah Greenblatt, an EW critic, was surprised with the impact.

"Maybe not the most expected start to #Sundance2020 but the Taylor Swift doc #MissAmericana is smart and funny and intimate and feels like the kind of insight you actually want into a superstar," Greenblatt tweeted.

In her review posted later (with an A- grade), Greenblatt wrote: "It all feels appropriately intimate and on brand, a smartly calibrated glimpse into the 24-7 terrarium of modern fame. What takes 'Americana' beyond a string of charming anecdotes though, are the revelations that make up much of the second half."

Greenblatt aptly summarized: "You wish you’d seen more of this Taylor a long time ago. But that’s the point of the whole movie, maybe: She was always there; it just took her 30 years to get to here."

Ramin Setoodeh, Variety's New York bureau chief, tweeted "#MissAmericana is an illuminating, empowering portrait of Taylor Swift at a turning point in her career, a meditation on the loneliness of fame, and a study on why women — even very famous women — aren’t treated the same as men. #Sundance2020"

Variety's official critic Owen Gleiberman posted a positive review, calling the film, "a stage-managed but compelling" documentary that "follows her rise to pop supernova, but mostly charts the ripples of her offstage psychodrama."

Gleiberman writes the ingredient that "makes it work is that Swift, off camera, is a paradox herself: a humane and crunchy diva who knows how to take her conflicts and project them. That’s what makes her a star."

Leigh Blickley, senior, entertainment reporter with the Huffington Post, called the documentary "funny, sad and poignant" on Twitter, adding she "loved it."

Adam Chitwood, deputy editor for the entertainment site Collider, tweeted that the documentary "a fascinating and candid story of how an insanely famous artist who was trained to be nice and inoffensive reconciles her growth as a political and feminist human being in the public eye."

Kevin Fallon, senior entertainment reporter at the Daily Beast, went straight to the point. "I really liked #MissAmericana," he tweeted. "Taylor finally says her piece. It’s gratifying to watch. It’s fun, too."

By Friday, "Miss Americana" had an 80% positive review rating on the aggregate website RottenTomatoes.com.

The Hollywood Reporter, in its official review by Leslie Felperin, called the documentary "fascinating" and praised Swift's discussion on body image and more political stances. "' Miss Americana' is very much about speaking up and out."

In one negative review, RogerEbert.com critic Nick Allen, wrote "too much of 'Miss Americana' plays like we should crane our necks back and look up to one of the most popular people on the planet, and just appreciate them for reminding us that they too are human."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Taylor Swift's 'Miss Americana' documentary praised: First reactions