In this concert documentary, Justin Bieber—a charismatic yet androgynous, 17-year-old Canadian idol—relates his story (in what comes across as a blatant promotional and marketing tool) en route to Madison Square Garden. Born in Stratford, Ontario, Bieber was raised by a loving teenage mother and grandparents (his parents separated when he was a baby). Displaying an early natural talent—playing the drums, piano, and guitar, along with singing and dancing—Bieber quickly garnered fans when his mom posted performance videos on YouTube, catching the eye of Atlanta record executive Scott “Scooter” Braun, who introduced Bieber to supportive R&B star Usher and music mogul Antonio “L.A.” Reid. Bieber emphasizes that he's paid his dues—diligently working with a vocal coach and performing at malls, amusement parks, and high schools—to fuel the fan base that launched Bieber-fever, but his career was definitely kick-started by the new social media. In concert, Bieber performs the title song, along with "Somebody to Love" and "U Smile,” among others, as well as an engaging duet on “Overboard” with Miley Cyrus. Other guests include Boyz II Men, Sean Kingston, Ludacris, Snoop Dogg, and Bieber's mother, Pattie Mallette. A slow-motion sequence of Bieber flipping his famous helmet-hair from side to side to Etta James' “At Last” will make true Beliebers scream, moan, and cry hysterically. Recommended, overall. (S. Granger)
Justin Bieber: Never Say Never
Paramount, 105 min., G, DVD: $29.99, Blu-ray: $39.99, May 13 Volume 26, Issue 3
Justin Bieber: Never Say Never
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
Order From Your Favorite Distributor Today: