“Alone Together,” a documentary shot entirely during the pandemic, premiered on the closing night of South by Southwest 2021. The one-of-a-kind documentary follows experimental pop icon Charli XCX as she bypasses the usual yearlong process of creating her album “how i’m doing now,” squeezing it into just five weeks instead.
Director duo Bradley Bell and Pablo Jones-Soler, known as Bradley & Pablo, forfeited their right as filmmakers as they sent handheld cameras to Charli to gather hours and hours of footage for the project. The pair bring a unique perspective of storytelling involving animation and a desire to do Charli’s story justice.
Stuck in a makeshift studio in her Los Angeles house, the singer’s go-getter attitude highlights her immense love for her fans. She wants to give them something to look forward to during the blurred days of the pandemic, no matter the personal emotional consequences.
With that, her vulnerability throughout the documentary was inspiring yet hard to watch. With the goal to confront mental health awareness head on, Charli gives an in-depth look at her journey into seeing a therapist for the very first time. Her struggle with low self-esteem can be seen through scenes of her crying in bed as well as her mother calling her phone after hearing an especially vulnerable voice memo on Charli’s Instagram story.
The documentary also delves into the pop sensation’s seven-year relationship with Huck Kwong and the 11 days they have spent together since the pandemic began. Throughout the film, the viewer can't help but get invested in their relationship as they navigate love in a time where all seems lost. Their relationship spans from intimate moments like Charli asking Kwong what his favorite part about her is to the more lighthearted, outgoing clips of them making out in front of a green screen for the “claws” music video.
The most special part of the documentary is the inclusion of her eclectic and devoted fans, known as Charli’s “Angels.” The connection between the singer and her fans creates an intimate relationship that’s hard to come by with a popstar of her status. When Charli hits writer’s block while writing the song “anthems,” she takes to Instagram Live to enlist the help of her 3.6 million followers. Lyrics are sent through comments in a frenzy while Charli tries to incorporate them into the chorus.
Bradley&Pablo emphasize this unique connection by incorporating the lives of several fans who are home during the pandemic. The Angels present themselves as a LGBTQ+ friendly space and rally behind Charli through the whole intensive album project. These fans are as vulnerable as Charli throughout the film and find profound hope in their idol.
“Alone Together” takes you on a journey of healing, displaying the power of the fan-artist relationship and capturing the times perfectly through a Generation Z-style film. The film gives fans more than music; they receive a piece of Charli that she willingly and graciously gives.
Rating: 5 out of 5
