The new HBO Max documentary “Love, Lizzo” is essentially a biography detailing the monumental events of the singer’s career and personal life. The film pulls you in with heartfelt and heartbreaking moments that show who Lizzo truly is. 

The documentary’s title is extremely indicative of what to expect from the film: the entire 90-minute movie feels personal, like receiving a letter from a friend. This connection draws in the viewer, allowing them to feel emotionally attached to Lizzo’s story from the start. 

The documentary begins with her childhood in Detroit, detailing what it was like to grow up black and plus-sized. She describes hardships she faced because of her appearance and how she used her passion for music to help her persevere. 

Something incredibly well done about this film is the way in which it cuts to moments of Lizzo performing on stage in-between flashbacks. This contrasts her hope to become famous when she was young with the success that she has now.

Another powerful moment in the film is when Lizzo opens up about her experience with writer’s block and her insecurities about not being perceived as talented enough to succeed in the music industry. She details the struggle of feeling like she had to create but also feeling like nothing she was making was authentic. 

While the combination of voice-overs and videos from the past is not necessarily revolutionary, it is done beautifully. The movie uses this tool carefully, not becoming oversaturated with voice-over moments. This discretion allows for the moments in which they do employ voice-overs to be much more powerful. 

She also speaks very candidly about her experience hitting rock bottom when her father died, and how while it was a horrible experience for her, it helped her find her voice. 

This is a wonderful example of one of my favorite aspects of this film: that it does not shy away from the hard parts. It sugar-coats nothing, giving the audience a very real and heartfelt understanding of what Lizzo was truly going through.   

One beautiful component of this documentary is the way in which Lizzo speaks about learning to love herself, which she expressed in her song “My Skin,” which completely changed her course in the music industry. This song led her to understand herself as a songwriter and gave her confidence that people would listen to her message.

“Love, Lizzo” sets itself apart from other documentaries and biopics because of its transparency and heart. Every person has some aspect of “Love, Lizzo” that they can relate to, which is what makes it truly unique.