I must admit, I went into Justin Bieber: Never Say Never an adamant non-fan of the young singer, and although I'm not going to go out and buy all his albums and join in the rampage of screaming tweens at his concerts, I'm inspired by the young man. Justin Bieber never said never and it shows.
His hard work and determination is impressive for anyone, let alone a 16-year-old teenager, who started promoting his stuff at the tender age of twelve.
Justin Bieber: Never Say Never is a music documentary about Bieber's rise to fame. He has broken many records and has done more in the short year and a half he's been on the pop scene than some musicians accomplish their entire career.
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The documentary, from director John Chu, is smartly filmed and edited together - including scenes from Justin's childhood in Stratford, Ontario, and ending with the iconic sold out show at Madison Square Gardens in NYC.
Anyone who thinks Bieber is another smartly marketed Disney manufactured star is sorely mistaken. Bieber did most of the leg work himself and he's an example of what hard work and determination can bring to a young career.
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The documentary explores many intriguing aspects to Bieber's career, including his entourage who try to keep his childhood intact - his vocal coach who acts like a second mother, his manager Scooter Braun who discovered him, his own mother who doesn't leave his side while on tour, and his grandparents who helped raise him and keep him grounded throughout the whole process. It's clear Bieber has a great team behind him that have become family.
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There are some great scenes with his family and friends in Stratford as well. He's depicted as a normal kid who likes to have fun and play with friends. Only difference -- he's not a normal kid. He's a star.
During one outing in his hometown, he even stops to talk to a young girl playing her violin outside the Avon Theater, the same theater Justin played outside when he was twelve. The girl sweetly asks, "Are you Justin Bieber?" to which Bieber replied "Yes I am," rendering the girl speechless. He encourages her to never give up and follow her dreams. Just one of the sweet moments in the film.
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The most amazing part of the whole journey is seeing how naturally gifted Justin Bieber really is - he receives a drum set when he's only three years old and can tap out a rhythm better than most adults. He plays piano, guitar, and drums: learning simply by watching his mother's friends. The true talent in this boy is clear and the film displays this well.
Overall, the film makes Bieber look like an awesome, albeit confident and even (at times) cocky, kid who works hard. He's good. And he knows it. But not in a bad way. You have to know your good to have the drive and resilience this young man displays. And he worked for his fame.
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The most annoying part of the whole film isn't Bieber's incessant hair flicking or his sickeningly catchy lyrics - it's the painfully awful screams of his young female fans.
I actually feel sorry for the guy who wants to make music and entertain, but has to deal with the shameless groping and crying of these young tweens. Gracious as always, Bieber doesn't seem to mind at all.
I know this is not a new phenomenon and girls acted likewise in the '60s when The Beatles reigned the pop world, but it's just so hard to watch.
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Bieber has hearts. He's definitely aware of the effect he have on his fans and makes sure to give back, distributing tickets for the first 10 rows before each concert.
The movie ends with a zooming out of the camera, displaying the YouTube page that made him famous, with the video titled "Justin Bieber Part 1." An accurate description for this star who seems to have a lengthy career ahead of him.
Let's just hope he stays grounded throughout the process. If you are a fan of Bieber you will love this film. IF you're not a fan of Bieber, I guarantee you will come out of the documentary with a greater appreciation for the young musician.