Gaga: Five Foot Two

Inside Gaga: Five Foot Two: The Raw, Unfiltered Look at Lady Gaga’s Most Vulnerable Year

Netflix’s Gaga: Five Foot Two (2017) pulls back the curtain on one of pop’s most enigmatic stars, offering an unvarnished portrait of Lady Gaga during a whirlwind period in her career. Directed by Chris Moukarbel, the documentary captures the singer at a crossroads—balancing creative genius, physical pain, and the pressures of fame while preparing for her Super Bowl LI halftime show and the release of her fifth studio album, Joanne. latestnetflix.com's take is that but beyond the glitter and spectacle, the film reveals the human behind the persona, warts and all.

A Fly-on-the-Wall Glimpse Behind the Fame

Unlike traditional concert docs, Five Foot Two trades polished performances for raw, intimate moments. The camera follows Gaga through studio sessions with collaborators like Mark Ronson and Florence Welch , but it’s the unscripted scenes that leave the deepest impression. Viewers see her grappling with chronic pain from fibromyalgia, a condition she’s since spoken openly about, as well as the emotional toll of her work. One particularly striking moment shows her in tears, overwhelmed by the weight of her own expectations .

The film also peels back layers of her personal life, including her relationship with her father, Joe Germanotta, and her grandmother, who inspired the album Joanne . Even her interactions with political figures like Barbara and George H.W. Bush—who appear briefly—add a surreal touch to the documentary’s fly-on-the-wall style .

The Madonna Drama: A Behind-the-Scenes Storm

One of the most talked-about moments in Five Foot Two isn’t even about Gaga—it’s about Madonna. The documentary includes a scene where Gaga reacts to Madonna’s criticism of her music during a studio session, calling it "reductive" . Moukarbel later revealed in interviews that the moment was included to show Gaga’s vulnerability, not to stir controversy. Still, the tension between the two pop icons became a major talking point, with fans dissecting every word .

Moukarbel has since clarified that the scene wasn’t staged for drama but was an organic moment captured during filming. "We didn’t set out to create a feud," he said in a 2017 interview . Whether the tension was exaggerated for the cameras or a genuine reflection of Gaga’s frustrations remains up for debate, but it’s one of the few moments in the film that feels like classic pop-star drama.

**The American Horror Story Connection**

Fans of American Horror Story got an unexpected treat in Five Foot Two: a peek behind the scenes of Gaga’s role in AHS: Roanoke. Moukarbel confirmed that the documentary includes footage from her time on set, offering a rare look at her acting process . While the film doesn’t dive deep into her AHS experience, the inclusion of these scenes suggests how deeply her work in TV and music overlapped during this period.

The Verdict: A Documentary That Divides

Critics and audiences were split on Five Foot Two. Some praised its honesty, calling it a refreshing departure from the usual glossy music docs . Others found it uneven, with a 6.6/10 rating on SensCritique reflecting mixed reactions . The film’s 100-minute runtime covers a lot of ground—from studio sessions to family dinners—but it doesn’t always connect the dots, leaving some viewers wanting more depth.

Still, for Gaga’s Little Monsters, the documentary is a treasure trove of behind-the-scenes moments. Whether it’s her playful banter with Tony Bennett or her emotional breakdowns, Five Foot Two proves that even superstars are human—and sometimes, that’s the most fascinating part.