Netflix’s ‘Ariana Grande: Excuse Me, I Love You’ concert film is a love letter to the Time Before

Though it may seem like a distant memory, there was a time in our lives when we’d stand shoulder to shoulder with thousands of strangers, screaming the lyrics to our favourite songs at the top of our lungs without a care in the world. 

Here to remind you, Ariana Grande: Excuse Me, I Love You, filmed for Netflix during Grande’s 2019 Sweetener World Tour, is a love letter to the Time Before. A time when singers pointed their mics to packed arenas, giggling as ecstatic crowds chanted back their lyrics word for word. A time when we’d throw our arms in the air and yell “encore” before pouring our weary bodies onto the last train home. There’d inevitably be more singing on the platform, and — let’s be honest — inside the carriage too. We thought those days would last forever.

In the words of Beyoncé: I was here. But really though, I was there at Grande’s show at the O2 Arena in London in Oct. 2019 the very night the concert was filmed for Netflix. In fact, I loved this tour so much I went twice (full disclosure: I spent a decent chunk of time searching for my face in the crowd in the film — to no avail, though). 

Watching the same concert a year later hits different. The world we live in looks markedly different now following the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and live concerts are (for the time being, at least) a thing of the past in most countries. It is impossible to watch this film without a deep feeling of nostalgia for another time. What I’d like to tell you, though, is that once you’ve got past the flashes of reminiscence, you’re in for one hour and 37 minutes of complete and utter joy. 

The film is largely made up of concert footage from the London leg of the Sweetener tour, with performances from both the Sweetener and thank u, next albums, along with bangers from Dangerous Woman including “Into You,” “Side to Side,” and “Be Alright.” These mainstage music moments are interspersed with short backstage snippets to give you a feel for tour life. 

Ari’s mum, Joan Grande, who is frankly a living legend, is present throughout the film, making sure everyone is OK (including fans who are scared of heights!). There are wholesome backstage moments of friendship between Grande, her dancers, and members of her crew. On stage, meanwhile, the Grammy-winning performer graces us with flawless vocals that will have your jaw firmly resting on your chest for the run time. If you were in any doubt about Ms. Grande’s talent as a performer, let this film disabuse you of your misguided opinions. 

One thing to note, however, is that Scooter Braun, Grande’s manager and executive producer of the film, makes two appearances in this film — and they are unwelcome cameos that really could have been edited out. Braun has recently made headlines for acquiring and subsequently selling Taylor Swift’s master recordings of her first six albums to an investment fund, while being accused of “incessant, manipulative bullying” by the artist. Braun’s appearances do not add anything to the film, so exist as slight stings for viewers in the know. The first sighting, which happens around six minutes in, shows Braun in a strained ‘oh, didn’t see you there’ moment, saying, “I was just itching my neck beard.” Something tells me Swift fans won’t be terribly amused (and I write that as a longtime fan of both Swift and Grande). 

Bitter music industry feuds aside, there are some moments that really made me laugh out loud. Like the beautiful reminder that the Sweetener stage kind of looks like a toilet seat (sorry!). Then there’s the footage of Grande and her best friends, choreographers, and dancers Brian and Scott Nicholson watching Midsommar with Bloody Marys on the private jet (as you do). Those familiar with the movie will know precisely which gruesome parts are being witnessed with pure horror. 

My immediate thoughts after watching? I’d have loved to have seen more rehearsal footage for the Sweetener tour — it’s something in Homecoming and the Reputation Stadium Tour film that gave you more of an understanding of the amount of sheer work that goes into Beyoncé and Taylor Swift’s onstage performances — and more of Grande talking on camera (with perhaps fewer dog poop anecdotes, lol). Perhaps, like we enjoyed in Swift’s Miss Americana or Lady Gaga’s Five Foot Two, the film could have included some footage of songwriting — maybe I’m getting greedy with that last one, and this is a concert film at its core, not a full documentary. The film has a lot of high gloss, and maybe not enough grit (even with the dog poop convo) for some fans. But there’s always next time, and something tells me this won’t be a one-off. 

‘Excuse Me, I Love You’ is a gift to any pop stans right now. You’ve earned it this year. 

That said, at a time when live music is but a distant memory, this film served as a reminder of simpler times. When Grande sings her Sweetener track “breathin” and the crowd screams “just keep breathin’ and breathin’ and breathin’ and breathin'” along with her, it’s difficult to suppress a pang of emotion. Perhaps it’s because the words to that particular song feel more poignant than ever before. Perhaps it’s because our lives look very different now. 

Either way, Excuse Me, I Love You is a gift to any pop stans right now. You’ve earned it this year. 

Ariana Grande: Excuse Me, I Love You is now streaming on Netflix.