Review: Olivia Rodrigo: driving home 2 u

Directed by Stacey Lee, Olivia Rodrigo: driving home 2 u is a concert film which charts the singer’s journey to stardom from when she first released ‘driver’s license,’ and the process of writing the SOUR album. It charts her emotional journey as well as the journey of the album, from dealing with the aftermath of a breakup to becoming one of the most well known people in the world.

The film complements her first album SOUR which debuted during 2021, after her success on the Disney+ series High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. It sees her take a road trip on a journey from Salt Lake City to Los Angeles, imitating the process she took when writing the album. The audience are taken on a journey with Rodrigo herself by seeing hidden studio footage which has now been revealed and revamped performances of the album’s songs.

The film has numerous beautiful shots

At the beginning of the film, we are introduced to the album’s producer Dan Nigro, who takes the reins throughout the film and controls what goes in and out of the SOUR album. The pair, Rodrigo and Nigro, work through the album by contemplating whether new songs fit and giving context to the songs which we know and love today. The film has numerous beautiful shots, with drone footage showing the road which Rodrigo takes on her journey, figuratively and physically, towards the album. There are also numerous locations for which songs filmed take place, for example ‘jealousy jealousy’ is performed in an underpass.

The film also includes interviews with the singer herself, cutting between the songs and the car ride that Rodrigo took between Salt Lake City and Los Angeles. The singer reveals intimate moments which happened during the process of making the album as well as her own life at the time of this whirlwind dream. She reveals ‘You want people to look at you for your talent and skill, and you’re also, you know, 18 and I want people to think I’m pretty and cool and funny or whatever.’

The singer-songwriter has skyrocketed to fame after her success in 2021

Rodrigo’s debut album topped the charts worldwide in 2021 and helped the singer gain several Grammy award nominations from the 64th awards, as well as wins for New Artist, Pop Vocal Album and Pop Solo Performance. In the same year, she was also named for Entertainer of the Year by Time magazine. Prior to this, she was a Disney Channel child star from the well-known TV show Bizaardvark and the Disney+ hit streaming show High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. Since then, the singer-songwriter has skyrocketed to fame after her success in 2021.

The songs that are shown throughout the film represent the angst and heartbreak of the generation that Rodrigo is representing, one of her own, Gen Z. The songs and soundtrack are very emotional which shows that she is singing from the heart about the feelings she is experiencing. The singer is also representing her feminist agenda with an all female band, with the girls manning the drums, keyboard and the bass guitar.

The pacing of the film was done well, charting the singer’s journey without being too complicated or hard to understand. The plot of the film documentary was easy to understand as well, as it charts the singer’s journey and the process of the SOUR album. The soundtrack of the film really sticks in your mind because it complements the album that was released prior to it. The cinematography and colour palette is dark yet light which shows the contrasting moods of the album and the process Rodrigo took to write it. The editing is smooth and simple, reflecting the process of the album writing and making.

Verdict:

Overall, Olivia Rodrigo: driving home 2 u has a nostalgic feel as the singer retakes her journey and experiences the feelings and emotions she had when writing the SOUR album. The audience also makes sense of the writing process she took in order to get the album to where it is today. The documentary fulfils the idea that the 19 year old is now a source of inspiration for millions of young girls around the world.