star-crossed: the film

Bardia Zeinali's 2021 film gives images to Kacey Musgraves's album of the same name. The songs are staged in order with narrative links built between them. It is not a collection of videos; a single structure follows the stages of a divorce. The scenes are elaborately designed and realism is not attempted, with colour and costume changing in each section. Musgraves is at the centre. Victoria Pedretti and others appear in brief parts. The cinematography stands out and the songs are given in the album's order. Who it's for: those who like the visual album form and country pop. Who it's not for: viewers expecting narrative; the film stays bound to the songs and builds no independent story.