There used to be a time where “Stan” was just an abbreviation of the name Stanley. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, today the name can be used as both a noun and a verb associated with being an overzealous or obsessive fan of a celebrity. The origin of the more modern meaning stems from Eminem’s iconic song of the same name. A song which, despite being released 25 years ago, has remained prescient for its understanding of how unhealthy and toxic a fandom can become. But in a new documentary titled Stans the rapper aims to prove that fandoms can breed beautiful communities too. 

 

Now, Marshall Mathers (the man behind the moniker) is the film’s main subject. However, as the title hints, filmmaker Steven Leckert pulls focus to him through interviews with those who adore him most - some of which are also his closest friends. The result is a nostalgic trip through his rise, fall, relapse, recovery and revival. Although there are plenty of moments where Mathers humbly reminisces about his roller coaster career, they are complimented by empathetic anecdotes from fans whose own lives mirrored those highs and lows.

 

There are some fans whose stories lean a little more into the “stan” culture than others, but the variety of subjects is effective at illustrating how wide of a reach Eminem has. For example, we hear from one fan who shares how “Not Afraid” gave him the strength to become sober. We hear another detail how the rapper gave them so much courage to come out as trans that they eventually changed their name to Marshall. Then we hear from one fan who adored Eminem so much she moved to Detroit and sought a job at an old restaurant he used to work at. Another fan describes feeling so distraught about the rapper’s best friend dying that he needed to take three months off of school.

 

The film excels whenever we hear from the fans. The flow of anecdotes is consistent. However, whenever it breaks rhythm is when the film starts to lose focus. That’s not to say that the remaining subject matter is any less important. In fact, it’s arguably more compelling. When we’re not hearing from fans of Eminem, Marshall or Slim Shady, we are taken through a nostalgic trip of his career. Through old interview clips, behind-the-scenes concert footage, and even testimony from Mathers himself, the audience is treated to a nostalgic and fascinating glimpse at the rapper’s life. One that 8 Mile barely scratched the surface with.

 

The only problem with this approach is that the film does not feel cohesive. The more the film tries to weave the fan interviews together with Mathers’ history, the more it feels like two completely different projects about Mathers being married into one. The film might have definitely worked better as a docuseries. It would have been interesting to hear from more “Stans,” particularly the celebrity ones like Adam Sandler and Ed Sheeran who only get about 30 seconds of screen time. And despite effectively navigating Mathers’ career over the course of its 100-minute runtime, at times it still feels like there was so much left unexplored. 

 

Whether or not you “Stan” Mathers, any of his alter egos, or his music, the film is solid. However, it’s not compelling enough to lose yourself. It’s disappointing considering the film was produced by the real Slim Shady himself and MTV (one of the main catalysts for his mainstream success). While it does shed light on the rapper’s impact on the world, the film’s exploration of his true greatness is largely disjointed and superficial. For an artist who built an empire capturing the angst of the underdog with an effortless flow of laughable, layered lyrics, it feels too off-beat.