Jawline

Jawline is a poignant and thought-provoking documentary film from 2019 which spotlights the ever-evolving influences of modern digital culture on young people's lives, particularly aspiring social media influencers. The film is fueled by standout performances from Austyn Tester, Michael Weist, and Mikey Barone. Directed by Liza Mandelup, the film goes deep into the world of live broadcasting and how it influences and shapes the lives of its young participants. Jawline grips viewers from the start, presenting a compelling and somewhat disconcerting documentation of dreams and reality in the social media age.

The film primarily focuses on 16-year-old Tennessean Austyn Tester, a teen like many others with big dreams and aspirations. Tester's dream, however, is not such a conventional one. He aspires to become an internet celebrity. Fueled by a deep-rooted desire for a life beyond the confines of his small hometown, he shares his life with his growing follower base on various social media platforms. He is an enthusiastic live streamer; someone who broadcasts himself in real-time to a virtual audience spread globally. Austyn presents a persona of positivity, brotherliness, and unyielding optimism, providing comfort and lighting a ray of hope for many isolated teenagers logging in from across America.

Michael Weist, an established social media manager in Los Angeles, and Mikey Barone, a prominent social media star with millions of followers, are also critical characters in Mandelup's narrative frame. Austyn sees people like Barone and Weist as he would like to see himself in the future—a feeling which is reciprocated by countless other teens globally, each looking for a slice of digital fame.

Mandelup, in her riveting depiction, illustrates the stark difference between social media representation and reality, between online fame and real-life struggles. To Mandelup's credit, she maintains a sense of realism throughout her narrative, closely capturing Austyn's challenges and exploits as he tries to navigate his way up the ranks of digital stardom. Yet she avoids condemning social media or outrightly criticizing the online celebrity culture, instead choosing to portray events as they are, gently guiding the viewers to draw their own conclusions.

Jawline is a journey into the quest for internet fame, yet it is so much more than that. It mildly yet firmly touches upon many relevant themes like the commodification of youth and personality, the lure of fame and recognition, the desperate desire to escape the mundane, and the cost of emotional labor in the digital age. There are no clear villains or heroes—just humans trying to survive and thrive in a rapidly evolving world.

The film smashes the common perception of what success looks like for young people today, challenging the conventions with the stark realities of the digital age. Mandelup's direction skillfully paints a sobering yet somewhat sympathetic image of the influencers – people who are just attempting to make their mark, staying relevant and trending in a seemingly infinitely vast digital landscape.

The cinematography of Jawline is noteworthy, as it skillfully captures the dichotomy between Austyn's humble roots and his aspirations of glittering stardom. The film brings out both the old-fashioned charm and limitations of Tester's small-town life and the stark allure and harsh realities of fame and recognition on social media platforms.

Jawline is a quintessential 21st-century story, a narrative that lays bare the rising phenomenon of digital celebrities and influencer culture. It offers a vivid depiction of the dizzying world of social media and the thirst for digital fame and affluence. It reveals a complex landscape where the boundaries between achievement, success, disillusionment, and exploitation are blurred.

As incidents unfold and narratives converge, the film ends on a note that is both humbling and enlightening. Jawline doesn't only appeal to our sensibilities as a great cinematic experience but forces us to confront the overwhelming lure and impacts of social media culture, especially on the lives of young teens. It's a must-watch for anyone interested in understanding earnest dreams' collision with the power and allure—but also the sting—of social media stardom.