Katy Perry: Part of Me 3D

Starring: Katy Perry and others

Star rating: ****

When i first heard that Katy Perry  was going to be producing her own concert movie, i thought great. It will be just like the Justin Bieber films where it would be all about how she became famous and then she would talk about how fantastic her life is and how normal she is. To be fair, Katy has also done a lot of publicity for this film and has talked extensively about how she feels as though she is really opening herself up to the audience. I was still sceptical, all stars say that. However, when i did go to see the film, i was surprised.

The films follows Katy Perry's life and all the struggles of trying to reach stardom. What strikes me about this is that she is not scared to talk about her family's opinion of her and the fact that she really didn't have a great time making it big. The film is shot over the course of a year, 2011, two months after Katy has married her 'soulmate' Russell Brand in India and is now embarking on her very first world tour. While she would rather be enjoying her newly wedded bliss, Katy instead is having to put on show after show, night after night and ensure that her fans are getting everything that they have paid for. We are taken on a journey to explore her highs and lows and really discover what makes Katy into the brand that is Katy Perry.

 What strikes me most about this film is how brutally honest it is about Katy's life. She is under huge amounts of pressure to maintain her kooky fun persona when behind the smile, she really is battling constant exhaustion and sheer emotional turmoil towards the end. Her entourage really are her strength and whilst for many stars they are wowed by the 'star factor', Katy's are like her family protecting her and taking of her through one of the most important times of her life. Her sister is elemental is making sure that Katy eats and is motivated to keep going.

Her marriage to Russell Brand is the main factor in the film. He turns up in the early scenes grinning like a Cheshire cat, trying to support his extremely successful wife. Katy struggles throughout the tour to keep her marriage alive and flies half way across the world to make sure she is there for him. A romantic at heart, Katy literally begs for time off to 'rescue her marriage' whilst her manager says "She flew from all over the world to meet him, she did everything she could." It is clear from her entourage that they disapprove of Russell and in fact he does seem to drain her energy, talking about having kids while Katy is struggling to keep going everyday. When they do divorce, Katy's heartbreak is stark and it is painful to watch as she sobs moments before going on stage, completely distraught but knowing her duty to her Brazilian fans.

I think this is a film for anyone who wants to see the reality of stardom. You come out of this film respecting Katy for her dedication and also with an important message ringing in your ears. With success comes sacrifice and life isn't always a fairytale.