A Verdadeira História de Paris Hilton

I can't believe these words are about to come out of my mouth (or from the ends of my fingertips), but this Paris Hilton documentary is actually great. It's truly mesmerizing and well worth your time, and yes, I know, pass the smelling salts and get thee to the fainting couch.

I've never been a big fan of hers, but I also wasn't that bothered by her antics. I watched "The Simple Life" back in the early aughts and was entertained. She then popped back on my radar after we watched the Netflix docuseries "The Program: Cons, Cults and Kidnapping", in which she appeared and then again when she testified in Sacramento a few weeks ago about her experience. That led to this documentary, which is an imperfect, though sincere and vulnerable portrait where she goes into more detail about her harrowing experience as a victim of the troubled teen industry. I have more sympathy for her and what she went through and while it might be hard for an heiress to change her image (leopard, spots), I think she's definitely not the worst person alive. There are so many more worthy contenders for that title.

I'm in my 30s so I grew up watching Paris on tv & seeing her in the tabloids so I assumed this documentary would be the same old Paris persona but I was pleasantly surprised it was not that at all! I have a new found respect for Paris & I hope she continues to show her true real self.

Growing up in the 2000's, I remember Paris Hilton being the ideal for many girls. She was a trend setter, she was attractive, she was always at THE places to be at. Yet, everyone figured she was a bimbo. Doing a show like "The Simple Life" just fueled that perception of her. While she pretended to be stupid in public, so did many regular girls. I witnessed that at my own schools. I found Paris funny but I was always more of an Amy Winehouse fan at the time. Another "wild girl" of the time but who couldn't be bothered with keeping a made up persona. Pretending to be stupid was never my thing. Something always told me Paris Hilton was not the vapid girl she displayed herself as in the public eye. This documentary confirms that.

You can see that she struggles with letting her real self come out. The baby voiced Paris we're all familiar with comes out even when she's trying to let her guard down. That alone is enough proof of the trauma this woman has. Too many people might accuse her of being fake, but you can tell that she's uncomfortable being her true "imperfect" self in front of a camera. The real Paris with the deeper voice comes out when she's really into her emotions and especially when she's retelling the trauma of attending that horrible excuse for a school. Learning how strict and conservative her family is helps all of Paris' public decisions make sense. Another tale about how money makes no difference. All the riches in the world and the ugliness of life can still creep in.

Yes there are times where her spoiled upbringing comes out, such as her talking about her large collection of shoes (some of which she never wears) or her goal of being a billionaire. This can rub the average person the wrong way but it shouldn't take away one's ability to empathize with her. No one deserves to have gone what she's gone through. This was a free spirited girl who was trapped by her parents and when they couldn't really do it, they had abusers in the guise of disciplinarians do the job. I think if her parents were more realistic and simply cautioned her about what comes with being a socialite rather than just treat her like a prisoner, she wouldn't have gone overly wild, and that's true of any child from any socioeconomic background.

The documentary isn't perfect, it's not this cinematic or (youtube) masterpiece, but you certainly get a new perspective of Paris Hilton. I hope people listen to her story instead of instantly bashing her.

I've long thought Paris Hilton was an intriguing character of modern Hollywood, and this documentary gives us true insight behind the curtain. Trailblazer of 'new fame' as we know it today. Paris' life - from abuse; to rebellious club kid; to the socialite and head of a multi-billion dollar conglomerate - is heartbreaking, inspiring and controversial.

Well worth a watch, for fans and haters alike.

While the title is somewhat unflattering, it's my perception of what Paris Hilton was and perhaps still is. Admittedly, it's a little hard for me to take anything Paris Hilton says at face value--at first.

However, perceptions change. This was a revealing documentary, revealing in the sense that she suffered trauma and abuse as a young girl and then teenager, that she put on a public false front to conceal the hurt, that she surrounded herself with yes-people who catered to her every whim, and that part comes through quite well in this film.

At the same time, though, what we see in her public face is that which we remember. And what we remember more than anything else is an image of a vapid, spoiled, not-too-bright socialite who comes from old money, who doesn't have to worry about where her next dollar is coming from, who flaunts her success to everyone willing to listen to her, and who makes it appear that she doesn't care what anyone else thinks because she's rich, rich, rich!

Still, she likes animals, so that's one point in her favor.

Yet...after watching this documentary, in spite of some of the revelations of her friends, her entourage, her relatives, and her own observations, I never really caught who the real Paris Hilton was and is. She's always come across as the living embodiment of spoiled WASPy privilege, and revelations in this documentary aside, she's not done much to alter my perceptions of her. I don't wish her ill; I wish that on no one.

But I have a feeling that this youtube flick is simply another way for her to reinvent her public persona, to gain more followers to someone who should have grown up years ago, and to show another side of her personality without ever revealing who she truly is.