Documentary Review: Noah Kahan: Out of Body
All right, raise your hand if you’re somewhat out of touch like me and have never heard of Noah Kahan. He’s a folk-pop singer-songwriter who really saw his star rise during the COVID lockdown. He’s got a new Netflix documentary, *Noah Kahan: Out of Body*, that chronicles his sold-out shows and the pressure he feels to create a sophomore album. Now, I could have sung all of that as an intro, but you haven’t done anything to me, so why be cruel, right?
As a career-defining chapter propels him into global stardom, musician Noah Kahan stands at a crossroads. In the wake of the breakout success of Stick Season, an album born from the quiet of rural Vermont and embraced around the world, Noah begins work on his follow-up album while facing the mounting stress of what comes next.
The Man Behind the Music
Now, really, I’d never heard of this dude, and based on how his last name is spelled, I thought it was pronounced “Kahan.” Nope—”Kahn,” like *The Wrath of*. Anyway, this is a documentary film rather than a series, so it benefits from zero breaks to make the time fly by. Like most documentaries that focus on people, we get a lot of interviews with Kahan, as well as with his family, friends, and bandmates. But it’s the raw access that we get with Noah that makes this work.
It’s a biographical sketch of who this guy is. He’s not just the confident and witty performer who sells out arenas; he’s vulnerable, and he lets us into his headspace to hear his fears, stresses, and challenges. This is an easy watch because right from the start, Noah is humble, and it doesn’t feel like that fake celebrity humility. He’s this relatively young dude who grew up in Vermont with three siblings who, by all standards, outshine him in academics and what most would consider traditional gigs. But he finds his grounding through his family, acknowledging all of their flaws and troubles.
He does it so honestly, too, that most of his songs are almost diary entries about growing up in his house—which his parents are not quite thrilled about, especially as he sings about their divorce and any strife that existed in the home. And it’s not done in a cruel way, either. We can see the cathartic effect that it has on Noah, but also in a massively larger way as it resonates with fans.
Vulnerability and Mental Health
The truth and transparency to talk about his life struggles in a song—I mean, that’s not something that’s wholly unique. That’s most of what country music is (at least if you’ve lost your beer, truck, dog, and/or your wife!). Seriously, though, the songs are not only emotionally relevant to so many, but the music itself is catchy and fun.
All throughout the documentary, we get to see Noah’s lighthearted and joking demeanor—how he tries to let life just roll off his back and take the moments as they come. But then the film pushes harder and sticks around long enough to see that positive outlook fade away as Noah faces his doubts and inner struggles. A lot of the time, personal stories of celebrities shy away from getting too far into the weeds of a person’s life, especially as things get more touchy or difficult. It’s not always the case, but usually. Thankfully, this film doesn’t do that, and it allows Noah to share some of his lifelong turmoil.
I didn’t expect this look into a rising star’s life to become a beacon of hope for mental health and self-image, but that’s what we end up getting, along with some spectacular music. There’s a segment where Noah becomes raw and voices the pain and dysmorphia that he’s felt for almost his entire life. While this can make him sympathetic and endearing, it’s way more powerful because here’s some famous dude talking about things that a ton of people struggle with, and then not passing judgment on them or himself. He’s just acknowledging that it exists and that it’s something he’s working to overcome now that he has words to put to his feelings. If for no other reason, this portion that focuses on embracing mental health is the reason to watch.
Grounded in Reality
Thankfully, that’s not the only reason. For me, I went from not knowing anything about this dude to becoming a fan simply by seeing him in his element—whether that’s joking around with siblings, sharing touching moments with his parents, looking towards the future with his fiancée, or taking his dog along with him to all his shows.
In my previous life, I worked for about two decades in radio, and I got to meet a ton of singers and bands. It was always easy to tell those who had forgotten how they started and where they’d come from, versus those who had held onto the magic and wonder of their talent and the joy that it brought people. Those were the ones who were awesome to hang out with. They were grounded, kept their egos in check, and were genuinely nice to everybody they met, regardless of their standing or what could be attained from them.
Noah comes across as that type of guy. Sure, he is in the early stages of his career, but seeing the backing and support in his life and his willingness to expose such private insights, I hope he holds onto this excitement and wonder. That will keep him as one of the great performers both on and off the stage.
Final Verdict
The filming is wonderful to experience, capturing a mix of lockdown interview shots to cameras following Noah as he walks down the halls to get on stage, or even strolling through the snow-covered countryside of his hometown. There’s a quaintness to it without it feeling chintzy or amateur. I would have loved to have gotten even more of his music throughout the film, but it is interlaced underneath the footage, allowing it to create a good emotional connection to what we’re watching.
Noah Kahan: Out of Body is an entertaining and touching documentary that allows us into Noah’s personal bubble to experience all his highs and lows as he navigates his growing fame and the mounting pressures to deliver again. From self-effacing humor to tearful self-reflection, Noah demonstrates that fame isn’t always what it’s assumed to be, but it can also be used as a tool for good to encourage and inspire all to the beat of a melodic guitar strum.
As a reminder, I don’t give couch ratings to documentaries, but I highly recommend checking out *Noah Kahan: Out of Body* on Netflix. If you’re a fan already, it’s probably already on your radar. But if you’re like me and you’ve never heard of this guy, man, this is going to make a new fan out of you.
Have you ever met a singer or a band? How was your experience? I would love to hear about it in the comments below!
