Taylor Swift has been on top of the world this past year. From her record-breaking “Midnights” album to her monumental stadium Eras Tour, her re-recorded (and newly owned) “Speak Now” album and her recent NFL appearances, Swift has been impossible to avoid. 

Now, Swift is breaking records in a new medium. Her new movie, “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour,” was released on October 13, and has already raised approximately $130 million in the domestic box office. As a die-hard fan, I was looking forward to seeing the film and comparing it to my experience on the third night of the East Rutherford, N.J. concerts. I attended the movie with my friend at the local RC Carlisle Theater, and we had the unique experience of being the only people there, which allowed us to sing along to our hearts’ content. 

The three-and-a-half-hour concert needed to be cut down in its movie form, even though the runtime is still a considerable two hours and 45 minutes. These cuts came in the form of the omission of certain songs, such as “Wildest Dreams,”“Cardigan” and “The Archer,” as well as fan favorite “Long Live,” which was added to the setlist halfway through the tour. While I missed hearing those songs in the movie, it was understandable that certain songs had to be cut for time. 

Another stark difference that I noticed between my concert experience and the movie was the removal of the crowd. Except for the fan chants that have become  a staple of each night of the tour, the voices of the crowd were removed or greatly silenced throughout the movie. This emphasized Swift’s voice and the music, but it removed some of the energy of the concert.

 While it would be impossible to perfectly replicate the energy of the crowd at the night I saw the concert or any other, I definitely noticed the absence of the crowd that was part of what made my night such a special experience. This highlights the creative choices director Sam Wrench needed to make: whether to prioritize an accurate representation of the concert or to showcase the performances of Swift and her ensemble. 

Even though I had already seen the concert, I greatly enjoyed “Eras.” While the film is not a perfect representation of the real-life experience, Wrench effectively uses swooping camera shots to emphasize the epic scale of the concert. Furthermore, Swift commands the viewer’s attention for the entire film, especially when she performs her acoustic “surprise songs” set and other stripped-down sections like the “Folklore” and “Evermore” eras. I highly recommend the movie to individuals who have and have not attended the concert. It is an incredibly dynamic and engaging film that will leave audiences singing in the theater together.