On September 22, 2017, Netflix released the documentary Five Foot Two. The documentary follows artist/actress Stefani Germanotta, famously known as Lady Gaga.
Five Foot Two follows Gaga as she creates and releases her fifth, and most personal, album to date, Joanne. Viewers will also get a glimpse of her acting, her journey to the Super Bowl Halftime Show, and an even more intimate view of her personal struggles with love, loneliness, and pain.
The documentary is directed by Chris Moukarbel. Variety writer Dee Lockett asked Moukarbel if Lady Gaga acted like a diva to which he responded, “With her, she’s giving so much and working so hard that when she occasionally has a moment…it never feels unprofessional or undeserved.” Moukarbel followed Gaga for eight months to get the footage.
The documentary opens with the artist cooking at home where she talks about her recent break up with fiancé and actor Taylor Kinney. Gaga states, “I just don’t know, I feel like my threshold for, like, bullshit with men is ‘I just don’t have one anymore.’”
Gaga and Kinney began dating in July 2011. They were engaged in February 2015, however, in July 2016, the couple broke up.
Gaga then walks upstairs where she gets a massage, something she does frequently throughout the documentary. “If I get depressed, my body can spasm into a full body spasm, it all kind of originates from this trauma in my hip from this injury years ago,” said Gaga.
Fans will get to see a vulnerable Gaga as she lays on the couch crying from the chronic pain she is feeling. On September 12, 2017, Gaga took to Twitter to tell fans about her ongoing struggle with fibromyalgia.
In one scene, the “Bad Romance” singer begins crying about how she is embarrassed and asks, “Do I look pathetic?”
Gaga endures the chronic pain quite a few times throughout the film, however, the performer doesn’t let it affect her work. Fans will see Gaga fight through the pain to get through her Super Bowl Halftime Show rehearsals.
As she takes a break from recording, she begins talking about her feud with Madonna. “I admired her always and I still admire her no matter what she thinks of me,” said Gaga.
Most of the documentary captures Gaga as she writes and records her album Joanne. The album title is named after the artist’s late aunt Joanne who passed away when she was 19 years old. Gaga feels a strong connection to her late aunt who was an artist.
In one scene, Gaga visits her grandmother to play her a song that she wrote in honor of Joanne. Gaga’s father, Joanne’s brother, leaves the room in tears.
Gaga worked with music producer, Mark Ronson, who is listed as an executive producer alongside Gaga on the album.
Ronson co-wrote the song “Joanne” with the artist. “So many, I think, men in my life in business and that I’ve dated, you know, over the years I just started to feel like what I was on my own wasn’t good enough, and I don’t feel that way working with Mark,” Said Gaga. The song also features artist Florence Welch.
Ronson has worked with Gaga on previous projects.
Gaga expresses her feelings about wanting a family, making music, and touring. She talks about how when she gets good news, then bad news follows and uses the example of how her relationship ended with Kinney as soon as she received a movie role.
On the phone, Gaga continues crying, telling stylist and friend, Brandon Maxwell, “I’m alone Brandon, every night, all these people will leave, right? They will leave and then I’ll be alone.
And I go from everyone touching me all day, and talking at me all day, to total silence.” Gaga’s emotional breakdown makes her relatable to her fans.
Fan’s hearts will break as Gaga seems to be going through the motions when her album gets leaked online and the singer is left feeling helpless.
It isn’t all sad though, the documentary takes viewers on a trip when Gaga heads to a Walmart to find her album and purchase a few copies. She tells the Walmart employees, “the record business is tough you know so, I want to make sure our CDs are out in front.”
Gaga also takes viewers with her as she gets the album title Joanne tattooed on her arm.
The tattoo is in Joanne’s handwriting. Her father got a matching tattoo.
The documentary finishes up with the day of the Super Bowl where Gaga was set to perform.
The last scene ends when the Halftime Show was about to start.
This personal look into Gaga’s music will show how much the singer has changed and grown, both as an artist and person. The documentary will allow fans a closer look into Gaga’s life and could be considered to be one of the better documentaries released on Netflix, thus far.
Shadia Judeh
News Writer
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