Spinal Tap for the You-Tube Generation

Rating: 7/10 (9 July 2017)

The Lonely Island (Andy Samberg, Jorma Taccone, Jorma Taccone) take their song-writing and music video talents to the next level with this brilliant send-up of pop music and the changing music industry in the internet age. It is not that Christopher Guest is too subtle or Weird Al is too old-fashioned; but with declining attention spans and deluge of digital entertainment options... they are.
Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping is able to capture and imbue the same deadpan satire with in- your-face subtlety. The best satires are a reflection of the current state of culture, music, technology, fandom, and yes vulgarities of society. So while some may dismiss "Popstar" as another 90 minute crude-as-craft Apatow vehicle, peppered with cameos to re-grab the attention of the AD/HD crowd, it is much more than that.
In 2005, The Lonely Island viral video "Lazy Sunday" was the tipping point for the now ubiquitous You-Tube, and is credited by some for its subsequent $1.5 billion valuation and acquisition by Google. The ensuing battles over copyright take-downs, creation of Hulu, and IP ownership was not lost on it's members. The immediacy and vulgarity of Samberg/Apatow's trademark humor are layered over the archetypical music parody plot, which is simple, superficial hilarity.
But for those looking closely are themes of privacy vs. social media, corporate overreach, obsession with celebrity news, the absurdity of today's "music"... all with back-handed whimsy. Managing to mock their own audience without them even realizing they are also being critiqued. While Samberg is the lead, the other members co-star and direct, with all three credited as the writers. The Lonely Island boys know how to goose the Millennial audience to remain relevant, while servicing their own influences (namely Christopher Guest and Weird Al Yankovic).
And therein lies the real fun of this film. You can choose which level you want to enjoy it on. Deadpan satire? Sure. Social commentary? Definitely. Mindless fun with crude humor, poking fun at pampered, self-important pop-stars (possibly from Canada)? Absolutely. Oh, and it also reminds you that friends are good. So there's that.
Doink-de-doink.