One Direction: This Is Us [Includes Digital Copy]

Director: Morgan Spurlock

Overview

The hit boy-band One Direction get their time in the 3D spotlight in this documentary that allows fans to see the world through the eyes of their favorite pop superstars. Live concert footage blends with playful behind-the-scenes antics as Niall, Zayn, Liam, Harry and Louis embark on a world tour that includes a performance at London's legendary O2 Arena.

Product Details

Release Date:	12/17/2013
UPC:	0043396424173
Original Release:	2013
Rating:	PG
Source:	SONY PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMT
Region Code:	1
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround]
Language:	English
Time:	1:32:00
Sales rank:	33,922

Special Features

Best Song Ever" music video; Going home: Harry - Liam - Louis - Niall - Zayn; Extended scenes; Before the show; The 1D family

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Niall Horan	Performer
Zayn Malik	Performer
Liam Payne	Performer
Harry Styles	Performer
Louis Tomlinson	Performer
One Direction	Performer
Simon Franglen	Composer

Technical Credits

Morgan Spurlock	Director,Producer
Simon Cowell	Producer
Ben Winston	Producer
Adam Milano	Producer
Richard Griffiths	Executive Producer
Will Bloomfield	Executive Producer
Harry Magee	Executive Producer
Jeremy Chilnick	Executive Producer
Doug Merrifield	Executive Producer
Matthew Galkin	Executive Producer

Editorial Reviews

There's a Paul Simon lyric that says, "every generation throws a hero up the pop chart," but in 2013, when social media holds sway over the fickle tastes of the public, the idea of pop stars lasting a whole generation seems charmingly old-fashioned. Or as Chris Rock once said about making it in hip-hop, "here today, gone today." Into this quickly evolving scene comes One Direction: This Is Us, a 3D concert film/group biography of the British boy band who became international superstars on the strength of their smash-hit song, "What Makes You Beautiful."" The five guys -- Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, Harry Styles, and Louis Tomlinson -- are all presented as likable young lads, so much so that they practically beg comparisons to the showbiz-savvy early Beatles. Though their personalities aren't outsized enough to easily categorize all of them, it's apparent that Zayn is the mysterious loner who loves his family and Harry is the genuinely funny smart-ass. And to put it in Fab Four terms, they're each the cute one. Director Morgan Spurlock dutifully presents the band's meteoric rise to fame: They each tried out for the 2010 version of Britain's The X Factor individually, but the show's creator and kingpin Simon Cowell (who also serves as a producer for this movie) suggested they join forces. Adopting the name One Direction, they proved so successful that, even though they finished third on the show, Cowell signed them to a contract more lucrative than the one they'd have gotten had they won. They quickly became the hottest act in Britain, and from there it just took a smash single to turn them into megastars with their faces plastered on T-shirts, notebooks, and every other piece of merchandise a young girl could possibly want. That full-throttle marketing is inescapable, especially when you realize that director Spurlock (who knows more than a little about self-promotion) and Cowell (a recognized master at idol making) have essentially used this project as a further means to sell the band to its loyal, rabid audience. There's nothing inherently wrong with that approach, and in the hands of seasoned veterans like Spurlock and Cowell, the individual members of One Direction are nothing less than adorably charming. They work hard, they play hard, they miss their moms, they have one another's backs, and none of them are shown succumbing to fame's darker pitfalls. Of course, the filmmakers save "What Makes You Beautiful" for the end, and during the performance, one of the guys pulls downs Harry's pants (he's wearing underwear) in the middle of his solo, sending an arena of screaming ladies into an avalanche of hysteria. It's a genuinely funny moment that underscores perfectly how the film wants to brand these fellows. Namely, they know that what they are doing is ridiculous, they feel lucky to have their celebrity, and they're thankful for their fans and enjoy giving them what they want. This Is Us is an entertaining and effective feature-length commercial.