Shawn Mendes: In Wonder Documentary Review: “I’m a regular guy who loves to sing!”
Shawn Mendes: In Wonder is a documentary about this global superstar’s humble beginnings and rise to stardom. This documentary felt kind of long to me…which is not good especially since the whole thing was only 1 hour and 20 minutes long. I think it has to do with the fact that I’m not crazy attached to Shawn Mendes’s music. But more significantly, this kid is only 22 years old, and his career hasn’t actually been that intense, long, or even scandalous. He’s a young, hot, straight, white guy who is great at singing, has a beautiful girlfriend, and is famous. SHOCKING!!!
There are many gorgeous shots of Mendes performing in front of cheering crowds, and that was pretty much my favorite part of the documentary. I really enjoyed the HD quality of seeing that stage view from behind Shawn Mendes’s head, and the thousands of twinkling lights in the stadium - it really makes you feel like you’re a part of something big. On the other hand, I really disliked the shake-y home movie style filming that happens sometimes when Mendes is in his hometown. There’s this one particular scene where he’s running through a field and the cameraman is running with him. It was so shake-y that I felt like throwing up.
I decided to watch this documentary because I was sold from some of the promo scenes with Camila Cabello. I was curious to know more about their relationship because I’m all about that celebrity gossip. What I ultimately learned is that they’re two young adults very much in love, so nothing really dramatic or scandalous there. The opening scene of the documentary shows Shawn having to communicate through typing on his phone because he’s on vocal rest, and that right there is honestly the only dramatic part of this show. The whole thing sort of leads you on a happy merry-go-round of Shawn performing on massive tours and then cutting to seeing his family and friends. And the documentary’s main message seems to be that Shawn is a regular guy who likes regular things, but honestly, don’t we already know that? I feel like his music and his brand seem to scream at us “I’m a regular guy who loves to sing!”.
In conclusion…
I never really considered Shawn Mendes an A-list musician to be honest…he doesn’t compare to legends like Beyoncé or Taylor Swift, and his music always suggested to me that he is a kid from a privileged background who loves to play music and share his thoughts with the world. I guess some people put him on a pedestal because they are obsessed with him, but since I am not, I don’t feel like this documentary necessarily taught me anything deep or new about him. If you’re into that behind-the-scenes life of a pop star stuff, this will definitely still be fun to watch!