Over the course of a world tour, this unguarded documentary follows Shawn Mendes as he opens up about his stardom, relationships and musical future.
As the documentary opens, we see a vibrant Shawn Mendes playing the guitar to a sold-out crowd on night 72 of his tour, moments prior we heard his voice gave out on him.
Next, we go back to the early stages of Shawn Mendes and how he became an overnight sensation through the app Vine and seeing his journey to get to where he was. As we begin to learn who Shawn is and what drives him, we see him writing music and trying out different things, which impresses me to see his drive, and even after being as big as he is, he strives for more.
We get some intimate moments between Shawn and Camille, and we get the back story of their life and how it all started. The chemistry between the two is enigmatic, and you can tell the love they share for one another.
Before watching the documentary, I got to sit in on a Q&A with Shawn Mendes and director Grant Singer. It was what initially inspired me to watch the documentary, to begin with. I pause my review because I thought it intrigued me just how the level of how personal this was and what was off-limits.
Shawn said: ‘He and Grant hung out for months before the shooting of the doc. He said they became friends, which made it easy to show a vulnerable side of himself, and nothing was off-limits for the camera.
Grant also added: ‘It was important to make this true to life, not something scandalous or for a buzz. It was important to make it personal but not cross any lines.
Often we see celebrities who take for granted the things their life affords them, and Shawn is the polar opposite. He appreciates the little things and cherishes them, even down to the story behind his and Camila’s relationship. You witnessed two larger-than-life stars be in love just like any of us.
The heart of the documentary lies in the heart of Shawn Mendes. We see the transition of this fantastic artist who worked as hard as possible to get to the status he is right now. It’s rather inspiring to see how he came from nothing with little to no talent and self-taught his way to stardom. It should be an eye-opening experience for anyone who watched that you too can work as hard as possible to succeed within your dream.
Hearing him talk during the Q&A he said when he watched it back, he realized how much pressure he would put on himself and that he needed to take a step back. I never realized how that statement and watching this would mean so much to me.
First, we understand the low of the documentary comes with him losing his voice, and when it happens, boom, it hits hard. I never thought I’d watch a Shawn Mendes documentary and take away the lesson those around me have been telling me for months now. I need to slow down. I watch him as he breaks, and he breaks because he was losing his voice. After all, he was pushing himself too hard, and it hit me, obviously not on the same level but with the understanding that I need to take a step back before I lose something equivalent to his voice.
Is one show worth risking it all?
Is one article worth losing it all?
The answer is no.
Did I think I would be sitting here crying my eyes out while watching the Shawn Mendes Documentary?
Shawn Mendes: In Wonder is an authentic look at the rise of a star. One could resonate with those looking to chase a dream. It’s a beautiful journey to watch, and I’ll be rooting for the kid for years to come.
The Music City Drive-In 