FOR POINTING THE CAMERA AT SOCIAL MEDIA STARDOM
THERE HAVE BEEN several documentaries about YouTube, but only, which debuted at SXSW in March, follows David Dobrik as he becomes one of YouTube’s most bankable stars—and sticks with the story as Dobrik’s fairy-tale rise is halted in 2021 when it emerges that Dobrik had a role both in enabling an alleged sexual assault by a member of his supporting cast and in another cast member’s injury. Throughout the film, Neistat captures the exploitative reality of what goes into making seemingly effortless video stunts, and explores the complicity of brand partners and fans alike.
