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There’s a Wikipedia page for the Eras Tour, and there’s a whole other Wikipedia page on the impact of the Eras Tour. Oh, and there’s also a Wikipedia page for “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour,” the 2023 concert film of Taylor Swift’s record-shattering, economy-disrupting, city-renaming tour. After unprecedented ticket demand, countless die-hard Swifties have had a cruel, Eras-less summer. Thankfully, their wildest dreams come true in “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour,” which faithfully renders an already spectacular experience while highlighting Swift’s fearless charisma.
“Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” is, essentially, a song-by-song capture of the three-hour-long Eras Tour with some abridgments. In 10 acts, with unstoppable energy, Swift performs a selection of the best songs from all 10 of her studio albums. Armed with talented backup performers, a stage made of digital displays, laser lights, a sea of LED wristbands in the audience, and many costume changes, the Eras Tour is a breathtaking spectacle of world-building.
The setlist’s non-chronological arrangement of acts, along with the diversity of Swift’s discography, makes for a performance that never drags. Pop eras like “Lover” or “1989” are interspersed with indie folk and country music from “folklore” and “Fearless,” while newer albums are bookended by throwbacks from Swift’s early career. The cinematography and editing complement each era’s emotions and aesthetics perfectly.
Contrast, for example, the emotional climaxes of “All Too Well (10 Minute Version)” and the “reputation” set. The first, a version of what is often considered the best song Swift has ever written, strays little from a close-up shot of Swift in her emotional exploration of heartbreak and memory. As she sings “I still remember the first fall of snow,” fake snow rushes through the air in just the right touch of stage effects. “Reputation,” a high-energy era full of bold dance, heavy electronic sound, and flashing lights, is sent over the top by rapid camera angle changes and wide, sweeping shots of the crowd of 70,000. In the right moments, the versatile cinematography captures both Swift’s captivating performance and the show’s exhilarating scale.
Furthermore, the camerawork of the film enhances the stage-wide composition, including digital displays and dance formations. In “tolerate it,” Swift and a dancer representing an emotionally distant lover sit at opposite ends of a long dinner table. In “Vigilante Shit,” rows of crossing light beams frame Swift and her squad. In “Enchanted,” the virtual lavender field behind Swift consumes the shot with its romantic grandeur as she descends downstage. Throughout these moments, the cinematic framing of symmetry is incredibly visually striking. The scale and beauty dazzles, showcasing the tour’s numerous impressive designs while visualizing intense feelings of anger or falling in love.
The film also offers the unique opportunity to watch Swift up close, from dancing to acting to minute reactions. As she silently mouths lyrics, locks in eye contact with the camera, and mouths “wow” at the roaring crowd, her charisma mesmerizes. While she sings the most intense songs with emotional commitment, she lightens up break-up songs with a smirk or dramatic eye roll. With Swift’s heartfelt persona, certain lyrics — “you’re on your own, kid / yeah, you can face this” or “all the stars aligned / you and I ended up in the same room / at the same time” — seem to directly address fans. By focusing on Swift’s smallest actions, which all display commitment to her performance and genuine fun, the camerawork encourages a shared joy between the superstar and her viewers.
Swift’s dynamic with her backup dancers also exudes collective joy. The film devotes deserved attention to the diverse dancers’ solo moments and wide smiles, which are not as visible to the live audience. Meanwhile, shots of the audience as they scream cathartic lyrics come from every angle, from the floor to the top of the nosebleeds. The performers’ camaraderie and audience perspectives make the Eras Tour feel like one huge community — one where every single person is having the time of their life.
One caveat is the fact that a moviegoer’s experience depends on their fellow audience members, as the film’s energy is best sustained by lots of singing. With a small or less participatory audience, the fun of a near-concert experience will be diminished. Luckily, if the opening hit “Cruel Summer” doesn’t inspire people to belt out its bridge, the next act’s back-to-back classics “You Belong With Me” and “Love Story” absolutely will. While those less familiar with Swift’s music might find themselves wondering when “Shake It Off” will finally start, “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” is clearly made for devoted fans, of which there is no shortage. Any Swiftie would be enchanted to witness it.
—Staff writer Isabelle A. Lu can be reached at isabelle.lu@thecrimson.com.
