Okay, Stop

If you're a regular reader here, you know it's full disclosure and that I review every movie I see.   And you know that there are some films I have seen because I had to get out of the apartment while the housekeeper was there.

This is not one of those times.  Truth be told, I saw "Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping" because I was getting my car serviced and I had two hours to kill at the movie theater conveniently located next door.   Timing-wise, it was either this or that Ellen Degeneres fish cartoon sequel.

I picked wrong.

Okay, I will admit there were moments in "Popstar...blah, blah, blah" that I laughed.   Like your typical SNL show when there is one good sketch in the whole ninety minutes, I did chuckle about five times.   But, the rest of this misfire is totally forgettable.  Indeed, it's like a ninety minute SNL sketch.   It will get cold faster than those broccoli sprouts you steamed in a wok last night.

"Popstar" fancies itself as a homage to "This is Spinal Tap."  It's a documentary parody about a Justin Bieber type and, given the target, you realize how easy those jokes should have gone.   But, whereas you could watch "Spinal Tap" over thirty years later and still enjoy it, "Popstar" is so laden with topical references that it became dated twenty minutes after its release.   It proves one more time that Hollywood films are no longer built to last past the Sunday night of opening weekend.

There are two major issues with "Popstar" beyond its general lack of humor.   That would be its star, Andy Samberg, who is the latest "mystery talent" to come from the SNL gene pool.  I still haven't figured out the success of Will Ferrell and now we have to deal with Samberg who's not as talented as he himself thinks he is.  Plus, in this specific movie, he's playing the Beiber-like title role and, given that Samberg himself is pushing 40, you can imagine how miscast he is.

My other problem with this dreck is the language.    Most of the words in the script are either "F" bombs or "D" bombs.   What's a "D" bomb?   Well, the last two letters are the same as in the "F" bomb and you should get the picture by now.   I'm not a prude but this profanity adds nothing to the humor and is totally gratuitous.   Don't expect to see this shown on a plane anytime soon.   Unless, of course, 89 minutes of the audio is silenced

Well, I didn't really expect much from this movie, so I suppose I'm not that disappointed.   Plus my car is fine and the tires got rotated.   Next time, however, I just might bring a book for the Culver City Toyota waiting area.

LEN'S RATING:  One-half star.

Dinner last night:  Leftover barbecue chicken.