The American Meme Explained

Director:Bert Marcus
Producer:Bert Marcus
Cassandra Thornton
Starring:Paris Hilton
Josh Ostrovsky
Kirill Bichutsky
Brittany Furlan
Hailey Bieber
DJ Khaled
Emily Ratajkowski
Music:Tyler Strickland
Cinematography:Will Dearborn
Abraham Martinez
Editing:Tchavdar Georgiev
Monique Zavistovski
Studio:Bert Marcus Productions
Distributor:Netflix
Country:United States
Language:English

The American Meme is a 2018 American documentary film that explores the lifestyle and trajectory of four social media influencers. The film was directed, produced and written by Bert Marcus,[1] and follows Paris Hilton, Emily Ratajkowski, DJ Khaled and Josh Ostrovsky as they work to create commercial brands out of their online presence.

The American Meme premiered at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival, where it was acquired by Netflix.[2] The purchase was recorded as one of the most high-profile documentary acquisitions of 2018.[3] It was released as a Netflix Original on December 7, 2018.[4] [5]

Plot

The American Meme explores the online footprint and behind the scenes stories of four social media celebrities who have each utilised online platforms to gain followers and become ‘influencers’ in the digital age.

The documentary film raises the idea of modern alienation under capitalism[6] and explores various diverse material on the likes of Paris Hilton, Josh Ostrovsky, Brittany Furlan and Kirill Bichutsky’s rise to fame,[7] strategies to maintain influence in social media spaces and difficulties in maintaining this influence and the use of social media as a source of income.[8]

Cast

Production

The American Meme was directed by Bert Marcus. Bert Marcus is the founder of the production studio Bert Marcus Productions and has directed three films. The two other films are What We Started (2017) and Champs (2014).[9] [10]

He has been a producer on nine films in total, which include Human Capital (2019) and How to Make Money Selling Drugs (2012).

Critical reception

On the review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, the documentary has an approval rating of and an average score of based on critics.[11] The site's critical consensus reads, "The American Meme dives into the shallow end of modern celebrity, emerging with a series of fascinating – and surprisingly deep – observations."[11] Metacritic rated it 60 points out of 100 based on seven reviews, which indicates "mixed or average reviews".[12]

Time Out New York named it the number one film to watch in the article "The 10 best movies at Tribeca Film Festival 2018",[13] writing that the documentary "finds its way to an unexpected sadness and maybe something deeper and cautionary."[14] Owen Gleiberman of Variety described it as "highly entertaining and an essential snapshot of the narcotic voyeuristic parasitic American fishbowl", following its premiere at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival. Gleiberman went on to say that, "Bert Marcus, the director of The American Meme, works in a kaleidoscopic style that channels the glitzy, fragmented screen-shot spirit of his subjects. At the same time, he gets us close to them, so that we can see the kind of people they are: shrewdly likable and kind of ordinary. Their lives consist of feeding a beast that pumps their fame and drains their souls."[15] Bilge Ebiri of Vulture.com wrote that it "can be fun, even informative, but there’s a bigger story here, and Marcus mostly fails to tell it".[16]

In a review of the film in The New Yorker, Naomi Fry writes, "But what is fascinating, and valuable, about The American Meme is its ability to reveal the desperation, loneliness, and sheer Sisyphean tedium of ceaselessly chasing what will most likely end up being an ever-diminishing share of the online-attention economy."[17] The film was described by The Irish Times as "a fascinating look into the curious appeal and lives of social media superstars and reality celebrities."[18]

Paris Hilton, one the film's central characters, has been praised for showing her vulnerability and giving audiences a glimpse into the dark side of fame. The website the Decider wrote that, "In a series of quiet, reflective interviews, Hilton explains why she trusts her fans more than her friends and dissects the risqué David LaChappelle photoshoot that transformed her into a household name."[19] Furthermore, USA Today shares "5 ways Netflix's The American Meme will change the way you think about Paris Hilton,"[20] including the closeness she has with her fans and her genuine self-awareness about the reality of internet stardom and notoriety.

Soundtrack

The soundtrack to The American Meme features a number of songs by artists including Britney Spears, Eminem and Ariana Grande.

Composer and songwriter Tyler Strickland is credited with selecting the pieces of music for the soundtrack in the documentary,[21] as listed below.

The American Meme soundtrack track listing!No.!Title!Artist(s)
1.Woman UpMeghan Trainor
2.ProblemAriana Grande ft. Iggy Azalea
3.I Would Never Say You’re FatCliff Martinez
4.Moment of TruthGang Starr
5.Money Maker InstrumentalAPM Music
6.LovefoolThe Cardigans
7.ToxicBritney Spears
8.Bang BangJessie J, Ariana Grande, Nicki Minaj
9.Sunny AfternoonThe Standells
10.Turn You OnParis Hilton
11.Don't Kill My VibeSigrid
12.You're a Grand Old FlagGeorge M. Cohan, United States Marine Band
13.NSFWCheat Codes, Danny Quest
14.Work BitchBritney Spears
15.Shake That”Eminem
16.“Summertime Fling C”APM Music
17.“Hold On”Jared Lee
18.We are Your FriendsSimian
19.Ms. HiltonThe Penfifteen Club
20.Carbon PrevailsTrent Reznor, Atticus Ross
21.It Catches Up with YouTrent Reznor, Atticus Ross
22.Not Leaving This CircusCliff Martinez
23.Jungle Drums Boileth OverAPM Music
24.Pretty Silver StichesCliff Martinez
25.Come on Feel ItGeorge Stephenson, Bradford Ellis
26.DaydreamYouth Lagoon
27.JaguarWhat So Not

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: THE AMERICAN MEME Bert Marcus Productions. bertmarcusproductions.com. April 7, 2020.
  2. Web site: Special Screenings: World Premier THE AMERICAN MEME. Tribeca Film. May 5, 2020.
  3. Web site: Netflix Picks Up Doc 'The American Meme' (Exclusive). The Hollywood Reporter. October 18, 2018 .
  4. Web site: Netflix Picks Up Doc 'The American Meme' (Exclusive).. Galuppo. M. October 18, 2018. Hollywood Reporter. May 5, 2020.
  5. 'The American Meme': DJ Khaled, Paris Hilton Ponder Social Media Fame in New Trailer. Reed. Ryan. December 7, 2018. Rolling Stone. December 7, 2018.
  6. News: 'The American Meme' Review: For Influencers, Social Media Is Only Skin Deep. Turner. K. The New York Times . December 18, 2018 . May 5, 2020.
  7. Web site: The producer behind 'The American Meme' unpacks modern celebrity.. C. Christie. Above the Fold. March 6, 2019 . May 5, 2020.
  8. Web site: "The American Meme," A new Netflix documentary records the angst of social media influencers. Fry. N. New Yorker. December 7, 2018 . May 5, 2020.
  9. News: Barker . Andrew . Film Review: 'What We Started' . July 17, 2020 . Variety . March 24, 2018 . en.
  10. Web site: Champs 2014 Tribeca Film Festival . Tribeca . July 17, 2020.
  11. Web site: The American Meme (2018). Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. .
  12. Web site: The American Meme. Metacritic. May 1, 2020.
  13. Web site: The 10 best movies to watch at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival. Rothkopf. J. April 10, 2018 . April 24, 2020.
  14. Web site: The 10 best movies at Tribeca Film Festival 2018. Time Out New York. April 10, 2018 . December 12, 2018.
  15. Web site: Film Review: 'The American Meme'. Gleiberman. Owen. May 2, 2018. Variety. December 7, 2018.
  16. Web site: The American Meme Is an Entertaining Missed Opportunity. Ebiri. Bilge. Vulture.com. December 20, 2018. May 1, 2020.
  17. 'The American Meme,' a New Netflix Documentary, Records the Angst of Social-Media Influencers. Fry. Naomi. December 7, 2018. The New Yorker.
  18. News: Netflix: the 10 best new films and shows in December. The Irish Times. November 30, 2018.
  19. Web site: Paris Hilton Tears Up About Sex Tape: 'It Was Like Being Raped. It Felt Like I've Lost Part of My Soul'. December 7, 2018. Decider. December 7, 2018.
  20. Web site: 5 ways Netflix's 'The American Meme' will change the way you think about Paris Hilton. USA TODAY. December 7, 2018.
  21. Web site: Tyler Strickland. IMDb. April 25, 2020.