Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone are The Lonely Island and what began as a comically combustible relationship that flourished on SNL with a slew of Emmy-winning shorts (most famously Dick in a Box and I’m on a Boat) has grown to become a big screen summer movie event.
Popstar: Never Stop Stopping is written by the terrifically talented trio, and directed by Schaffer and Taccone. That divvying up of the creative responsibilities worked out brilliantly because the cinematic focus of the mockumentary film is on Samberg’s Connor4Real.
The enigmatic/clueless lead singer/rapper of the group (in the film they’re known as The Style Boys) has broken out on his own and shocked the world with a debut album that has sold over four million copies. As we catch up with Connor4Real, he is about to release his second album, Taccone’s Owen is still with Connor, but serves as his “DJ,” and Akiva Schaffer’s Lawrence has moved on from the music biz to become a farmer, burned by the back-stabbing aspect of that world. Trying to keep Connor’s world from completely slipping into chaos is Tim Meadows manager. It’s a three-ring circus, to say the least.
Popstar: Never Stop Stopping works on many levels.
The fact that The Lonely Island didn’t make their first big screen effort a movie about themselves, specifically, was a stroke of brilliance. This is a believable story about a Beastie Boys-type band (with a lot less talent and lyrical resonance) that found that fame was the ultimate seducer. Ultimately, it claimed the reality of its leader and launched him into a solo career that had him forgetting about not only his childhood friends who he formed a band with, but who he is as an individual. As we see in the Popstar: Never Stop Stopping trailer, Connor4Real has almost 30 people on his payroll and he is surrounded by yes men (and women) who are only enabling his slippery slope away from what’s real (ironic, given his moniker).
What is a fantastic stroke of comedic genius is that The Lonely Island’s insanely catchy music, laugh-out-loud lyrics and drop dead perfect comedy presence permeates throughout their debut film. Don’t kid yourselves — Schaffer, Samberg and Taccone may be playing versions of their The Lonely Island-born alter egos, but this film is pure The Lonely Island through and through.
For a mockumentary to work (like the one that set the standard — This Is Spinal Tap), the world has to be just this side of ridiculous, yet also completely and utterly believable. That too is the case with Popstar: Never Stop Stopping. All involved, from the lead three, to Meadows’ manager character to Sarah Silverman’s publicist for Connor… are all flushed out, three-dimensional characters that pop off the screen and could live on in their own movie — lesson one in screenwriting.
It is clear that this was not a rush job, brought to release date before it was ready to capitalize on Samberg’s rising star with Brooklyn 99 and rushed into production to arrive before The Lonely Island’s star could have faded (seriously how could they fade?!). This film took two years to come together, one to make and another to work on the music. That shows on every frame, with every joke and with every single song. The flashback sequences also shine in how they spotlight how this group came together and even presents why The Style Boys are considered such icons in this make-believe musical world. That is also achieved by the presence of dozens of cameos, some known about (like Mariah Carey) and others that will amaze and surely send you into fits of laughter.
Then, there’s the running joke within Popstar: Never Stop Stopping that is a living, breathing and working parody of TMZ. Don’t want to give anything away from those bits as (yes, it’s hard to believe), they may be some of the funnier moments in the entire film. But if you like Will Arnett (and frankly, who doesn’t?), here’s one hint: Don’t go anywhere near your drink when the camera is on him!
We hope that this is merely the beginning of The Lonely Island’s journey to the big screen. There is much more they can do heading forward, even a Style Boys mockumentary that could be a prequel, or a sequel with the boys reuniting and all the maniac mayhem that could ensue from that.
Crafting a movie comedy that works, makes audiences laugh throughout, produces quotable lines and stands the test of time is an almost impossible thing to achieve in Hollywood history. What Schaffer, Samberg and Taccone have done with their first silver screen effort is astounding. This is a comedy that must be seen repeatedly. If nothing else, to catch all the funny moments you missed while laughing too loudly at others.
Grade: A