Taylor Swift’s ‘Eras’ movie: Are you ready for it?

Dozens of excited Taylor Swift fans gathered at Ballard’s Majestic Bay Theatres on Friday for a moment they surely had been waiting for since the megastar made a major announcement regarding her blockbuster Eras Tour.

In August, Swift revealed that a concert film capturing the record-breaking tour was coming to the big screen on Oct. 13: “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour.” Then, two days before the planned debut, she shared in an Instagram post that the film would actually open a day earlier “due to unprecedented demand.” 

Like the movie tickets, tickets to the live show were in high demand and became the center of some serious drama with Ticketmaster. So, for some, a film is the next best thing to seeing it live.

Seattle Times features desk editor Yasmeen Wafai (a Swiftie since 2008 who has seen the country-turned-pop star live twice) and features producer Sarah-Mae McCullough (a nearly lifelong Swift fan who’s never been to a big concert) checked out the scene during the opening weekend. The two started out concerned the crowd wouldn’t match the hype of the larger-than-life show but were quickly proved wrong by a wholesome and dedicated audience.

Sarah-Mae: As one of the countless fans who missed out on the live show, I was hoping to get as much of the concert experience as possible. For all the “unprecedented demand” we heard about, the evening got off to a lackluster start. 

Yasmeen: Agreed — I was expecting a big crowd of dressed-up fans ready to sing their hearts out, but considering we chose an earlier show and smaller theater, there seemed to be more young fans with parents and a surprising lack of friendship bracelets! 

Sarah-Mae: When I arrived, 15 minutes early, there were no obvious fans in sight besides a troop of 10-year-old girls running toward the movie poster while exclaiming “She’s so pretty!” 

Yasmeen: So precious! We entered the theater and, to what I imagine would be the shock and horror from our favorite movie experience-writing duo Moira Macdonald and Bethany Jean Clement, did not get any popcorn. But a note to fans: Certain theater chains are selling Eras Tour-themed popcorn buckets and cups. 

Sarah-Mae: While sad to miss out on those items, at least Yasmeen and I didn’t have to fight over who gets to keep them! 

Yasmeen: Very true! By the time the film was about to begin, the auditorium was nearly full with a mix of fans of all ages, with a few Swift-inspired looks sprinkled throughout. Spotted were several “junior jewels” from the “You Belong With Me” music video and an earth-toned, Victorian frocklike number à la “Evermore.”

Sarah-Mae: Plus, Yasmeen herself dressed for the occasion in a “Reputation”-inspired look complete with black eyeliner and snake earrings. The film began with a countdown from 13 (Swift’s favorite number, of course), and the chatter around us stopped. 

Yasmeen: There were a few excited whispers of “It’s happening!” and “Oh my God!” and I giggled when one fan in front of us said, “I need to calm down!” referencing Swift’s “You Need to Calm Down.”

Sarah-Mae: The camera whooshed over Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium, giving us a breathtaking sense of its scope, before landing on the stage where Swift arrived in a sparkling bodysuit. 

Yasmeen: The intro of the show is honestly gorgeous (no pun intended). Giant parachutelike petals sweep the stage as a medley of songs from Swift’s career echoes through the stadium. Sitting in the theater, I was brought back to that feeling of anticipation in the stadium waiting for Swift to pop out from underneath the petals.

Sarah-Mae: For the first half of the show, the audience was pretty timid, with only sparse clapping and hollering and one (it seems) mother-daughter duo who were rocking out in their seats. I was enjoying myself, but it felt more like I was bingeing music videos in my bedroom than going to a concert. 

Yasmeen: Which still wouldn’t be a bad way to spend a Friday night!

I was not one of the fans who drained their bank account to get a floor or front-row seat at the live concert, so there was only so much I could see from my 200-level spot with a light structure partially blocking my view. That said, for me, it was awesome being able to see in the movie all the little details. A few favorites include Swift’s various colored mics, a “13” on her bedazzled guitar and all the expressions from her amazing dancers and backup singers.

Sarah-Mae: The up-close details did make it feel like we were in the front row. As a Swiftie who’s never seen my hero live, the movie gave me a better glimpse into who she is as a performer — from the casually delivered but heartfelt anecdotes she shared between sets to the tremendous range of emotions she conveyed through her facial expressions while singing. 

Yasmeen: I was so excited for you, Sarah-Mae! And a bit jealous that you were experiencing it for the first time! We have to get you to the next one!

Sarah-Mae: Next time, indeed! In the meantime, things in the theater finally started taking a concert-esque turn when “22” came on. The mother-daughter pair evidently could not restrain themselves in their seats any longer. They stood up in their sparkling pink outfits and moved to the aisle where they could sing and dance to their heart’s content. 

A few more folks joined them, then a bigger group of teenagers. By the time we got to the “1989” era, there must’ve been 40 or 50 people of all ages dancing and singing in the aisles and even right in front of the screen. A girl, about 7, in a tiara head banged intensely as a giant Swift performed “Bad Blood” in a head-to-toe pink sparkly outfit — truly a highlight of the experience. 

Yasmeen: It was extremely wholesome to watch. I felt a bit lucky to be a shy person in that moment, otherwise poor Sarah-Mae would have to witness my singing and dancing along! But I did notice some braver than me, getting up to literally dance on their own as Swift proclaims in “Shake It Off.” It was endearing to see, even in a dimly lit movie theater, the power of this performer’s music and lyrics on strangers.

Sarah-Mae: Plus, as the room got rowdier and rowdier, the hoots and applause after each song started blending with the recorded L.A. audience’s, making it feel like we were actually part of the show. Swift would, here and there, look straight at the camera with such intensity that I could nearly believe she was in the room with us. 

Yasmeen: However, fans who didn’t get to see the live show should know the movie cuts some songs that were included in the set and shortens the transitions between eras. This makes sense considering the movie is nearly three hours long, but it might be disappointing for some fans who were expecting to see the entire experience as it was live. But honestly, knowing Swift, I wouldn’t be surprised if she drops an extended cut down the road.

Sarah-Mae: We’re all waiting for it, judging by the audience’s enthusiasm. 

Yasmeen: Someone behind me was so excited when “August” from the “Folklore” era started they kicked my chair! But I couldn’t even be mad because I totally understood. I even think I heard some crying from them throughout the film. Again, completely understandable and proved even a film can hit you in the feels just as hard as the real thing.

Sarah-Mae: Crying, chair-kicking and all, any Swifite will most likely love this impressively immersive film. But the energy in the theater is what makes the experience more than a movie — so be the person dancing on your own! We promise you won’t be alone for long.

But if you’re older than 18 and want a more intense concert vibe, we suspect a later showtime at a bigger theater is the way to go.

Yasmeen: Either way, I highly recommend the film for any fan, whether they’ve seen the tour or not. And by the way, we got to trade some friendship bracelets after all! Two sweet fans came up to us at the end, making it truly feel like the real thing.