Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping Review

     Lonely Island is one of the better comedic bands out right now. So when I discovered they were making a movie, I was very eager to see what could come from it. We got Andy Samberg and Jorma Taccone in Hot Rod, however Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping is actually a story focused around a band with all three of the Lonely Island members. Although this film loses it momentum in the third act, it's full of great songs and hilarious moments.
     Popstar focuses around world celebrity Conner (Andy Samberg) and his solo after falling out with his group. When the solo life doesn't pan out quite the way he expected, Conner will do whatever he can to reunite with his bandmates to resurrect not only his but their careers as well.
     This movie has been noted this generation's This Is Spinal Tap and that is a fair comparison. It pulls off the music mockumentary with well placed cameos and hilarious problems that linger in music industry today. It's mostly pokes fun at Justin Bieber but there are many other antics that are a head nod to musicians in the industry today.

     The first two acts of this movie are very funny... Like gut-busting funny. Andy Samberg fits the role very well and comedically the dude does not disappoint. The chemistry between him, Taccone, and the third member, Akiva Schaffer, is phenomenal. All three of them play off each other so well. However I think one of the unsung heroes of this film is the manager, Harry, played by Tim Meadows. He is fantastic as the fickle, sleazy manager that so often surrounds the music industry.
     Another stand out of this movie is the soundtrack. Although there's one song in particular that's is underwhelming in the context of the film (which I will touch on later), a good majority of the songs are catchy and funny as hell. If you cannot get around to seeing the film, do yourself a favor and listen to this soundtrack. It has some great tracks.
     There are some duds with this movie. The main one is the third act. The momentum slows down drastically and the final song to throw the group back into the mainstream audience is very underwhelming compared to the rest of this soundtrack. Although the runtime of this movie is only 87 minutes, they could have easily lost around 20 minutes and it would have enhanced the movie.
     Although the third act drags and does not quite land, this is one of the better comedies I've seen this year. The first two acts are full of laughs, brilliant cameos, and catchy songs. This is not a particular film you have to see in theaters but if you get the chance then you should because there's some really funny moments.

Rating: 8.0 out of 10