There are some really uncharitable reviews on here. Not necessarily about the film itself which is an ordinary production, but about its subject who, like it or not, is an actual person.
Privilege shouldn't equal excuse but neither should it equal dismissal. Does Paris Hilton have a privileged, largely vacuous life? It seems so, and in fact it's pretty much repeatedly admitted by Paris herself. But that doesn't protect her from either injury, nor the long-term consequences that can come from injury, especially when they are inflicted on a child.
Spoiler - Paris reveals, and is supported in her disclosures by multiple other victims, that as a child she was hauled from her bedroom during the night by strangers and taken to what might be described as a reform school. With the consent of her parents, upset by her teenage rebellion and it's stain on their conservative family brand, Paris tells of physical and emotional abuse. Her peers also refer to sexual abuse. In light of what we now know about institutionalised child abuse, these claims have a ring of truth.
Now an adult, an insomniac, a work-a-holic, a recipient of domestic violence, and largely friendless, Paris' fantasy lifestyle has all the hallmarks of a seriously damaged young woman, albeit on a very luxurious scale.
Enter the judgement of a lot of reviewers who can't get past the gowns and jewels to offer any sympathy to a woman who, to me, seems obsessively committed to creating a safe space she can cocoon herself inside of. All the 'stuff', the transient lifestyle, the collection of animals, the relationships with unworthy men, the creation of an alter ego - none of this will be unfamiliar to anyone who has spent time with damaged children who've grown to adulthood.
The film itself is patchy and while I'm sympathetic to Paris, it is, as any autobiography is inclined to be, an exercise in curation and indulgence.
Ultimately, it's not going to change any of our lives but maybe it could help Paris change hers.
Privilege shouldn't equal excuse but neither should it equal dismissal. Does Paris Hilton have a privileged, largely vacuous life? It seems so, and in fact it's pretty much repeatedly admitted by Paris herself. But that doesn't protect her from either injury, nor the long-term consequences that can come from injury, especially when they are inflicted on a child.
Spoiler - Paris reveals, and is supported in her disclosures by multiple other victims, that as a child she was hauled from her bedroom during the night by strangers and taken to what might be described as a reform school. With the consent of her parents, upset by her teenage rebellion and it's stain on their conservative family brand, Paris tells of physical and emotional abuse. Her peers also refer to sexual abuse. In light of what we now know about institutionalised child abuse, these claims have a ring of truth.
Now an adult, an insomniac, a work-a-holic, a recipient of domestic violence, and largely friendless, Paris' fantasy lifestyle has all the hallmarks of a seriously damaged young woman, albeit on a very luxurious scale.
Enter the judgement of a lot of reviewers who can't get past the gowns and jewels to offer any sympathy to a woman who, to me, seems obsessively committed to creating a safe space she can cocoon herself inside of. All the 'stuff', the transient lifestyle, the collection of animals, the relationships with unworthy men, the creation of an alter ego - none of this will be unfamiliar to anyone who has spent time with damaged children who've grown to adulthood.
The film itself is patchy and while I'm sympathetic to Paris, it is, as any autobiography is inclined to be, an exercise in curation and indulgence.
Ultimately, it's not going to change any of our lives but maybe it could help Paris change hers.