The Lady Gaga documentary “Gaga: Five Foot Two” came out on Netflix this weekend. It revolves around Gaga’s Super Bowl LI Halftime Show and the making of her latest album, “Joanne.”
It is a revealing look into Gaga’s life, providing raw insight into everything from her family to her fibromyalgia. There is no interview-infamous Gaga baby voice and there is a lot of crying. Gaga seems almost like a normal girl—apart from having branding meetings topless by her pool and making Beyoncé uncomfortable with her weed-smoking (something she talks about during the film’s credits).
As a longtime Little Monster who’s an even bigger fan of “Joanne”-era Gaga, I really enjoyed this film. However, I think anyone interested in the concept of fame would enjoy it.
“Five Foot Two” shows Gaga putting in all the work that goes into being a pop icon, while also dealing with some very mere-mortal problems. She has chronic pain from an earlier hip injury and cannot find someone who loves her in face of her mounting success.
She is very famous and very lonely. She is very powerful and in a lot of pain. Like Katy Perry in her 2012 documentary, Gaga is almost too good at making herself stop crying. Against all odds in these natural disaster and political turmoil-ridden times, it makes you think “Huh. Pop stars have it rough.”
In one of my favorite scenes, Gaga leaves the studio where she is cutting the “Perfect Illusion” music video and walks to her car amid a crowd of fans.
As in most of the movie, she’s wearing a white t-shirt and black jean shorts. Her hair is pulled back and she’s only wearing heavy eyeliner.
It is a huge contrast from the Gaga of the past, who we see walking through similar crowds in garish outfits that, a lot of times, hide her face. It is clear this film is presenting the real Gaga, literally and figuratively baring it all.
In that vein, this scene was also somewhat disturbing. She looks tight-mouthed and like she’s trying to survive while pushing through throngs of people yelling and taking flash photos of her.
One particularly eager fan keeps calling her “mommy,” which is a) gross and b) super uncomfortable after Gaga states earlier in the film that she is afraid she will not be able to have children.
The “mommy” girl follows her all the way to her destination for an autograph, which Gaga, looking like a trapped animal, politely gives her. It makes fame look hellish. It is no wonder Gaga is continuously sucking down clove cigarettes, I would too, singing voice be damned.
I watched the whole thing somewhat slack-jawed, shocked at the glamour and effort that goes into being Gaga.
However, I was more shocked in scenes where she is just Stefani Germanotta (her real name). In one, she goes to her niece’s christening and is just one of many family members at a party.
In another, she goes to Walmart to buy her own album and no one recognizes her. She asks the manager if they have more copies of her album and he does not care.
She tells him she’s Lady Gaga and the mood flips—he asks for a picture to show his wife. A crowd of onlookers develops. Her manager calls it “a madhouse.” Afterwards, on her private plane, wearing glasses and a sweatshirt, Gaga smirks watching the scene she caused.
Throughout the film, you can tell she thinks her life is ridiculous, too.
At the end of the film, just before her Super Bowl halftime performance, Gaga said she has one note for herself and it is to have fun.
It reminds you that while being Gaga looks grueling, Stefani Germanotta loves it, and that is why she plays Gaga again day after day.
Overall, the film ends on a triumphant note—it does not show her Super Bowl performance and seems to assume you have already seen it. You are watching the Gaga movie after all. You are obviously a fan, and after being like “poor Gaga” for two hours, you’re backing to thinking, “Oh yeah, duh, her life’s great.” But it is not, ”Five Foot Two” shows us that, like anyone’s life, Gaga’s has its ups and downs—hers just seem bigger in the public eye.
That is what this film wants to show us: despite her larger than life image, Gaga is just a person, one that is only five foot two.