At only 21 years old, Olivia Rodrigo had already released her sophomore album titled “GUTS”. Released on September 8th, 2023, “GUTS” took the world by storm. As a result, Rodrigo decided to go on a world tour. Millions of fans lined up for tickets. Although many were able to attend, the majority of fans were not able to go.
As the Olivia Rodrigo GUTS tour was coming to an end, many fans were very sad knowing how much they would miss the tour. However, Rodrigo decided to give fans a concert film. Fans (including myself) couldn’t hold back their excitement as Netflix announced the GUTS concert movie.
Once the film was released on October 29, 2024, many flocked to Netflix and began streaming. The film is only about the concert rather than a documentary where you get interviews, background convos, etc.. It is meant
to feel as though you are another person in the audience.
Rodrigo also made it a point to film in her hometown Los Angeles, California. A place that is near and dear to her heart. Rodrigo not only incorporates songs from GUTS but also from her debut album SOUR. The film runs for 1 hour and 45 minutes, while the actual concert is 1 hour and 30 minutes long.
As the movie begins, we see the crowds fill in every seat. While we also see behind-the-scenes footage of Rodrigo with her dancers singing and dancing before the show, to start the concert off with a positive attitude.
Rodrigo sets the scene with a pre-recorded video showing her running through hallways while flashes of white and black illuminate her from behind. We then see her begin to knock on a purple door whilst showing off her black nails and rings that spell out her album name GUTS. This is not special for the movie, it was always being played during all GUTS concerts.
She kicks off the concert with flashes of colors and begins to play “Bad Idea Right?. During this first portion of the film, Olivia also performs “Ballad Of a Homeschooled Girl”, “Vampire”, “Traitor”, “Drivers License”, and “Teenage Dream”. Each song is very good, however, each one has its own vibe to it. It is a dramatic transition as the crowd goes from “Ballad Of a Homeschooled Girl” to songs like “Traitor” or “Driver’s License”. These songs are very sad and emotional.
Rodrigo then changes from her sparkly two-piece skirt and top, with her combat boots into a shiny black set with high-waisted shorts, a clear dress cover, and of course her fishnets and boots. This costume change marks another part of the concert.
Now, Rodrigo performs “Pretty Isn’t Pretty”, “Love is Embarrassing”, “Making the Bed”, “Logical”, and “Enough for You”. These last two songs Rodrigo sings while floating on a giant lavender half-crescent moon. Which allows Rodrigo to float around the whole stadium. After this, she sings “Lacy”, “Jealousy Jealousy”, “Hot To Go”, “Happier”, “Favorite Crime”, “Deja Vu”, and “The Grudge”.
Although Rodrigo’s movie has a lot of positives, some people had a few concerns. According to the Weddington Witness, author Hannah Moses says “One thing that I didn’t like about the movie, however, is that Olivia acted too provocatively. ”. One thing to note before watching is that this movie is not intended for a younger audience, and Rodrigo has made that very apparent through advertisements, lyrics, and more.
Sofia Hernandez is a junior here at Mt. SAC Early College Academy (MECA), and has been a big fan of Rodrigo since 2021. She especially loves the “Drives Licence” music video, explaining, “I honestly loved the purple color scheme in her music video which is what drew me to continue listening to her.”
One of the best parts of the film is how fans can sing along to every song. Hernandez says “I really enjoyed it. It was amazing and I was able to sing along to every song. I knew every song from start to finish without missing a lyric. I wish I could memorize my Pre-calc notes like that!”
Another thing that fans appreciate about the film is the progress Olivia has made in her vocals. Hernandez also says, “I loved seeing the amount of growth she’s had since her first concert. I remember the first time she performed “deja vu” you could hear the nerves in her voice. But when she sang it in the concert, she sang so clearly. It was inspiring.”
After Rodrigo finishes “Jealousy Jealousy” she announces a very exciting special guest. As the crowd roars with eagerness and excitement Chappell Roan joins Rodrigo on stage to sing the infamous “Hot to Go”.
As the end of the film approaches Rodrigo makes an outfit change. As “Brutal” begins to play we see Olivia walk out in a stunning red, glimmering bodysuit. She pairs this with her star glitter tights and boots.
Olivia continues to perform her upbeat songs such as “Obsessed” and “All American B****”. Graphics such as red lights, mouths, purple lights, and overall dramatic effects
are played in the background of each song. This portion of the film is a get-up-and-dance type of moment. You can see all of Rodrigo’s emotions, and passion get poured out.
As the film comes to an end Olivia makes one last costume change. Into bedazzled high-waisted shorts, and a white tank top with an iconic phrase each different for each show, again accompanied by her boots and tights. Only two songs left. “Good 4 u” and “Get Him Back”. Thus ending a great concert with a positive vibe. During the final song “Get Him Back” Olivia performs it while singing into a microphone turned into a megaphone.
As the end credits flash on the screen you can’t help but feel tired as the movie simply transported you to that same concert where you screamed, cried, and danced alongside the audience. Overall this was an amazing film, and although I didn’t attend the GUTS tour, I can turn my TV off with the feeling that I did attend this concert.
