Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me Review
“Let me make a promise. I’ll only tell you my darkest secrets,” pop superstar Selena Gomez tells the viewers in the opening scene of her 2022 documentary, Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me.
The documentary starts with Gomez in 2016, as she tours the world for her Revival Tour. While singing and dancing on stage, Gomez laments about the insecurity she feels, from criticizing the way she looks to feeling overwhelmed to wanting to separate herself from her Disney image. The documentary cuts to Gomez entering a psychiatric facility, where her life becomes even more chaotic as she, her friends, and family are unaware of her mental disorders.
Fast-forward to 2019 (not much of 2017 and 2018 was filmed due to Gomez’s mental and physical health complications) and Gomez has been through a kidney transplant due to her lupus, was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and is no longer dating popstar Justin Bieber, her longtime partner. Throughout the year, Selena achieves many accomplishments including the release of her #1 single “Lose You To Love Me” and speaking at McLean Hospital to promote mental health while receiving the McLean award.
The film then diverts to Gomez heading to Kenya for the WE Foundation with her friend Raquelle Stevens. Gomez meets with students who share their perspectives on education and how vital it is to their life. While this part of the film does not focus on Selena, it felt inspiring to understand the struggles these children had been through and how they overcame family and economic issues.
Gomez powerfully ends the film by reading an entry from her journal: “I am at peace, I am angry, I am sad, I am confident, I am full of doubt, I am a work of progress, I am enough. I am Selena.” As the screen faded to black and Gomez’s song “My Mind & Me” started playing, I was left speechless. When I thought the documentary could not get better, the song’s vulnerable lyrics and raw production added an emotional touch to the film.
All in all, this documentary was an emotional rollercoaster and it felt emotionally raw. Gomez was not afraid to be vulnerable on-screen, and it was very interesting to see inside the life of a pop star, and how not everything is as perfect as it seems. At the end of the day, everyone is human. Due to the unfiltered discussion surrounding her mental health, viewers can learn how to facilitate conversations regarding mental health. Young individuals learning how to deal with their mental health can resonate and look up to Gomez while feeling seen.
With the runtime being only 95 minutes, some aspects of Gomez’s life felt skipped over and could’ve been shown in more detail, such as her relationship with family members and Francia Raisa, her kidney donor after she needed a transplant in 2017. Regardless, a clear story of Gomez’s battle with mental disorders can be told by the singer-actress. There is not much mention of her music besides the Revival Tour, nor her TV show Only Murders in the Building, making it evident that Gomez’s desire for this documentary was to solely tell the story of her mental health journey.
“My hope is that this is a film that can help people be seen,” Gomez said in an interview. Gomez has done exactly that, inspiring viewers to be open and destigmatize the conversation surrounding mental health.
BY MRIGANK DHINGRA