Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman September 15, 2016

Sure it's fake, and sure it's grossly over-exaggerated, but one of many things to consider when walking away from Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping is just how easy it appears to be to manufacture a celebrity from the ground-up. Even as the film's subject, the fictitious one-time boy band member turned solo artist "Conner4Real," is a grossly over-stylized celebrity who can't to anything right yet still finds himself in the spotlight and craving it more with each passing failure, there's an authenticity to the character, a naïveté, and a sense of tabloid-centeric and headline-grabbing reality to him, not to mention a believable, if not seriously wayward, persona. The character's construction is fantastic. Beyond the hi-jinx is the perfect template for a gossip page celebrity, someone with a bit of talent, sure, but more than his ability to dance or sing a penchant for trouble, failure, messing up in the public spotlight but failing to grasp that his world might be crumbling from within, not from without. Never does the movie lift the veil or do anything to remind the audience that Conner isn't a made-up figure. It's done very well across the board but does bring into question the entirety of the celebrity culture because the movie really is that good at both building it up and bringing it down.

Conner Friel (Andy Samberg) has been in love with music his whole life, since he was first put behind a drum set while still in diapers. That passion for music grew into his youth and adulthood and eventually made him lots of money, and made him famous. He and two of his friends -- Lawrence (Akiva Schaffer) and Owen (Jorma Taccone) -- started a boyband called "Style Boyz" that became a worldwide sensation. But as tends to happen, the band broke up. Lawrence, now a Colorado farmer, has not forgiven Conner for his failure to credit him with some of the band's best ideas. Conner is now going solo, or mostly, anyway, under the name "Conner4Real." Owen is still at his side, DJing his concerts, but doing nothing more than pushing a button and wearing a silly contraption on his head. Conner's latest album is a flop, his tours aren't selling out, and even his proposal to his girlfriend Ashley (Imogen Poots) goes terribly wrong. Can Conner figure out a way to clean up his image and find success in the industry that's given him so much, and has now begun taking it all away?

Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping banks on vulgarity and extreme shenanigans to paint and sell its character. It works, often portraying him as obsessed with self and fame and unaware of what it is that's brought him so far. Conner is the classic contemporary basket case who, to his credit, doesn't retreat into a shell but continues to put his foot in his mouth in public and around his closest friends and confidants, even when retreat might be his best option. His latest album flops, and his would-be hits equate killing Bin Laden to rough sex singing about acceptance of homosexuality while repeatedly making sure to let his audience know that he's straight. Even his marriage proposal goes bad when a famous musician is seriously hurt. Concert venues are but half-full. He's the train wreck and doesn't know it, the celebrity who is kept in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons, and who puts to the test the old adage that "all publicity is good publicity." The film has a lot of fun throwing Conner under the bus and keeping him there, but at the same time it's a sharp-edged commentary about modern celebrity, the entertainment business, and everything that plays into those areas.

The cast is excellent and production top-notch. The music is vulgar and some may find it offensive, but it all has tongue planted firmly in cheek in a style that reinforces Conner's celebrity stature while bringing it down at the same time. The beats are catchy, and even when the lyrics go off the deep end into uncharted territory, the movie maintains a balance between cringe-worthy execution and smile-inducing (and toe-tapping) fun. Samberg is at the top of his game in the role, finding an energy to be sure but, more important, a cadence that's dialed in perfectly. He makes Conner that train wreck and does it with gusto and an understanding of the celebrity culture and the mindset that goes with it. It's not the physical performance that makes the character, as strong as it is, but rather Samberg's ability to so finely hone the character's mindset that drives the movie to its lofty heights. Support cast is great and the movie so expertly blends its documentary approach with its fictional narrative that the line becomes blurred throughout.

Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping is pieced together from a few different sources, including lower-grade Internet video and window box formatting, but generally the image is comprised of a wide, high end digitally sourced picture that's clean, richly colored, and finely detailed. The digital source photography sees some noise creep in at times, but it's the only eyesore that makes even a semi-regular appearance, predominantly in lower light scenes. Stage shows hold up very well, however, in various venues where backgrounds go black against bright spotlights. The blacks hold very deep and never push to hard to crush or too pale to gray or purple. The palette is intoxicatingly vibrant. The movie is filled with abundantly rich colors, from popping blues during a "singing appliance" demo to splashes of bright red, yellow, green, and other shades throughout. Details are finely structured and presented. Skin details present with plenty of intimacy, clothing lines are complex and natural, and environments and support objects are tangibly textured. Never does the image go even the slightest bit smudgy or dull. This is a fantastic presentation from Universal, and the movie gives the Blu-ray plenty of enticing elements to work with.

Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack is just about everything one could want it to be. Even without the benefit of the added layers a 7.1 or Atmos/DTS:X track would have provided, the "meager" 5.1 listen is every bit as lively as the material demands. Bass is the most prominent feature, pushing out with commendable depth and power in every concert. The low end rarely takes a breather when engaged, supporting the music with a heaviness that brings balance to the surrounding musical fracas. Midrange and top end notes maintain clarity and distinction, with commendable full stage saturation. Lyrics are likewise smooth and clean. Crowd noise is immersive and full, with total stage engagement that puts the listener in the middle of the show. Outside of concerts, the track keeps up the same qualities. The low end is healthy and aggressive, surrounds are utilized to positive effect, and balance throughout the range is maintained. Light atmospherics engage the back channels and front sides for polished environmental detailing. General dialogue enjoys natural center placement, easy prioritization, and expert clarity.

Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping contains a deluge of extra content, including a commentary and 43 minutes of deleted scenes sandwiched around a bunch of very short featurettes and music videos. A DVD copy of the film and a voucher for a UV/iTunes digital copy code are included with purchase.

• Deleted Scenes (1080p, 43:30 total runtime): Concert Opening, Meet Tilly Harry Backstory, Rehearsals, Aquaspin Blender, Meet the Crew, "The World is Dope", Eddie's Idea, Album Release Party, Video Chat with Ashley, Zippy Wedding Invitations + Paula/Conner Talk About Engagement, Tilly Arrives on Tour, Lawrence's Visit, 2nd Huddle, Bee Attack #2, Eat Soup, Cube Theorem, Aquaspin Firing, Downward Spiral, Quinceañera, Sponge & Eddie and Bagpiper, Sponge & Eddie and Bagpiper Alt Ending, Paula/Conner Kiss, and Bee Attack #3.
• Music Videos (1080p): "I'm a Weirdo" (1:54), "Equal Rights" (3:28), "Mona Lisa" (2:53), "Bin Laden" (2:42), "F*** Off" (2:31), and "Legalize It" (1:15).
• Gag Reel (1080p, 3:25).
• Interview Outtakes (1080p, 6:39): Characters from the film talk up Conner.
• Bonus Footage (1080p, 9:27): Additional short-burst moments featuring the characters.
• How to Donkey Roll (1080p, 1:11): The Style Boyz show off the dance craze that helped make them famous.
• Big Boy Freestyle (1080p, 1:59): Conner "freestyle" raps on the radio.
• Frog J**z (1080p, 0:42): Amongst the weed is a jar of amphibian semen. This is basically another deleted scene.
• Shooting Hoops (1080p, 0:58): Conner pretends to be LeBron on the court at his estate.
• "Turn Up the Beef" Backstory (1080p, 0:50): A look back the hit theme song from Friends.
• Sex Tape (1080p, 1:05): Radio program talkers chat about Conner's "sex" tape.
• Fun at CMZ! (1080p, 5:33 total runtime): A gossip show goes over some of Conner's lowlights. Included are Martin Sheen, Anne Frank, Dick Stapling, None of Your Business, and Jerking Off.
• Audio Commentary: Directors/Co-Writers Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone and Co-Wrtier Andy Samberg offer up a fun commentary, which includes insights into the film but also some off-topic comments about commentary tracks and other jokes. It's a light track, one that compliments the film well but doesn't take itself all that seriously. Fans of the film should enjoy this track.

Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping kind of has a South Park thing going for it. It's crude and vulgar but pretty sharp in its commentary. The movie is well made and strongly performed, certainly not for everyone but an interesting look at the declining and self-destructive celebrity in the modern age. Universal's Blu-ray comes packed with extras, many of which don't amount to a whole lot, but the commentary is fun and the deleted scenes are plentiful. Video and audio are both expectedly top-notch. Recommended.