When I was 12 years old I was a huge HUGE Duran Duran fan.  I had seen them in concert, I had a room full of posters, I made scrapbooks, I had t-shirts, I was a fanatic in every sense of the word.  When they were on MTV I’d kiss the television and scream and yell how adorable they all were.  Justin Bieber is this generation’s pop idol and having a tween of my own, I can relive all the fascination through her Facebook exchanges, telephone conversations, and hearing the music on her iPod.

My oldest dances to his music at her studio, her tap recital performance is to his “Somebody to Love.”  A few months back, her studio won a contest and a 5-second piece of my daughter’s jazz class dancing to one of Justin Bieber’s songs was IN the movie!


Needless to say, we were all excited to see the movie.  Just as I was excited to see the live documentary of Duran Duran’s Arena back in the 80’s, getting the Justin Bieber Never Say Never movie gave me a little thrill!

Synopsis:
The captivating and inspirational story of a small town boy who became a pop phenomenon through sheer talent and determination takes the stage when the feature film Justin Bieber: Never Say Never debuts on Blu-ray/DVD Combo and DVD Friday, May 13, 2011, from Paramount Home Entertainment. Never Say Never follows Bieber’s journey from his early years to his rise from break-out internet sensation to global superstar, culminating in a sold-out show at the famed Madison Square Garden. Incorporating personal home footage that chronicles Bieber’s prodigious talent from early childhood, the film also features all-star musical performers. Justin Bieber: Never Say Never is the highest grossing concert-themed film ever in U.S. history, having earned more than $72.2 million at the domestic box office, surpassing the lifetime domestic grosses of Michael Jackson’s This Is It.

Also check out the Never Say Never Weekend website for updates about the release.

Blu-ray:
o Feature Film (HD)
o Concert Dance-Off (HD) – Justin and his crew showcase their incredible dance moves
o Favorite Girl (HD) – Live performance from Madison Square Garden
o Giving Back (HD) – An extended look at Justin’s team surprising lucky fans with free concert tickets
o R.I.P. Hair Flip (HD) – The cameras were rolling when Justin cut his famous hair

DVD:
o Feature Film
o Digital Copy

Our Take: I loved it.  Loved it.  What a charming and honest movie about a boy with a dream!  This documentary style had me going from the very beginning, the interviews with Justin’s young mother and his grandparents in tears when Justin left Canada for the U.S.  I admire all the saved footage of all the highlights in his life that lead to his career in music.  I know I wish I had more of those moments of my own children!  One scene that had me bawling was when Justin walked past a spot where a girl was playing the violin trying to earn money.  He had done the same thing in that very spot and he told her as such and to follow her dreams.  Such amazing inspiration from a young soul, he even dropped some money in her violin case!  I loved the “normalcy” of his life when he goes and stays with his Grandma and visit with old friends.  His grandmother still made him clean his room before he left the house!!

The fascination with the YouTube videos is such a sign of the times and his journey to stardom with Usher was just exciting to watch with goose bumps.  With the movie we were also sent a life-size poster board of Justin and my daughters squealed!  It brought back all my memories of crushes when I was a teen and you can tell I’ve passed that gene along to my oldest daughter.  Of course seeing my daughter’s dance team’s seconds of fame in the movie was a thrill, but if you love music and Justin Bieber you will truly enjoy this movie.  As a parent, I can only support the dreams of my children, with this inspirational movie you never know what can happen!

The movie is released Friday, but you can pre-order the Blu-ray/DVD combo set at Amazon.com for $19.99!
Product was sent for honest review.