Justin Bieber: Never Say Never
Encyclopedia
Justin Bieber: Never Say Never is a 2011 3-D documentary
/concert film
centering on singer Justin Bieber
. It was released in the United States and Canada on February 11, 2011.
during 10 days counting down to what is considered his most prestigious performance, that of August 31, 2010 in Madison Square Garden
, sold out in 22 minutes. It shows footage of the performances during this period from his My World Tour
. It shows excited female fans (mostly young), and several instances of the "One Less Lonely Girl" routine of inviting a girl on stage to be the object of his affection, and of surprising random girls with free tickets to his concerts. The main people around Bieber, being like family and good friends to him, are interviewed, but Bieber himself is not. Various instances of praying together before a show are shown.
The film also includes a visit Bieber made to his original hometown while being in Canada for the tour. He is scolded for having damaged his voice while he had fun with his old friends. Reluctantly he accepts the postponement of the Syracuse performance. He is not allowed to speak for some days, and thus recovers enough to do the next performance, at MSG.
Also included are some of the story and old videos of Bieber's childhood. He was raised by his mother but also had a very special bond with his maternal grandfather. The latter still gets emotional about the time that Bieber and his mother moved to Atlanta.
reported that Paramount Pictures
was prepping a film featuring the singer. The website also reported that the film, described as a "feature biopic" would be directed by the Academy Award-winning An Inconvenient Truth
' s director Davis Guggenheim
. The untitled film was said to also include performances from Bieber's My World Tour
throughout. Bieber's manager Scooter Braun
and Island Def Jam president L.A. Reid were tapped to produce, and the film was tentatively given a Valentine's Day
2011 release date. After the report was published by Deadline, Bieber confirmed the news on his official Twitter
account, and verified that it would be released around February 11, 2011. In a following tweet, Bieber stated that the performances for the film would be those set to take place at Madison Square Garden
on the tour. On August 4, 2010, Deadline reported that Guggenheim had dropped out of the directing position for the film, in order to concentrate on promotion for Waiting for "Superman".
After the future of the film was up in the air for a few days, on August 13, 2010, it was reported that Step Up 3D director Jon Chu
was recruited to direct the film. On directing the film, Chu stated that he "jumped at the opportunity to tell a story with honesty and heart", as most people did not know that Bieber had a "true underdog story." Chu went on to say that he hoped to tell his story in a "compelling, genuine way, using all source materials available to convey his tale of becoming an icon for this digital age."
In another interview, Chu said that the movie was for fans and non-fans alike, commenting, "we're gonna tell the underdog story of where he came from." He later explained that it was fascinating due to Bieber's story had much to do with the modern "digital lifestyle", such as using YouTube, and how it is "a pretty cool story for our time." On the type of film, Chu said "There's not going to be acted-out scenes and I can't talk about the rest. It's not your typical concert film and it's not going to be a biopic, but it is about his life."
", or they should "Show us how 'U Smile' " by sending in a photo or video. The contest lasted for twenty-four hours. On August 31, 2010, filming took place at his concert at Madison Square Garden for scenes for the film, and Bieber donned white and purple attire, his tour colors. Bieber performed his set list, and in addition to opening acts the Sean Kingston
and Jessica Jarrell, Iyaz
, Boyz II Men
, Usher
, Miley Cyrus
, Ludacris
and Jaden Smith
appeared and performed songs with the singer. In a review, Jocelyn Vena of MTV News
said "Any signs that Bieber had fallen ill only two days before weren't remotely evident. He turned his swag on [...] for the cameras filming the show for his upcoming film.
In explaining the film's plot, Chu said that the film's plot was like a "hyperlink", unlike other concert films which only saw music and backstage action, but told the story of the rise of his career, and "stories of his life", using music. The director further explained, "You know, if he's talking about his youth and talking about his magnetic smile, you start to hear 'U Smile
' start to creep in the background and the underscore ... you see images from his life, and at the end of that song, the spotlight from the number connects with the spotlight of his tour bus and he goes back into his bed." On the film's direction toward his haters and naysayers, the director commented that the top thing they wanted in the film was "honesty", explaining "People have a very preconceived notion of Justin Bieber and people can think whatever they want, but we wanted to show the honest other side of Justin." At the Los Angeles signing of his novel, Justin Bieber: First Step 2 Forever: My Story, Bieber said that with the film, he wanted to "let people know there's a lot of people that are discouraging in life and that will tell you you can't do something, but you just got to remember that the sky's the limit." He went on, explaining, "You're able to do whatever you set your mind to as long as you remember to keep God first and stay grounded. So I think the movie really explains that, and it's really inspiring." Chu echoed similar sentiments, commenting "Every step, everyone's always said, 'No, no, no, no.' And he's always said, 'Yes, yes, yes.' And that sort of 'never say never' idea is conveyed in the trailer." According to the director, the "power" of the movie "to help inspire kids to follow their dreams, and anyone really, kid or adult" noting that it could be a "family journey."
, and Ryan Seacrest
, and Bieber's manager Scooter Braun
. The final piece was revealed two days later, tweeted by USA Today
, and it revealed the movie's title, Justin Bieber: Never Say Never.
The first trailer for the film debuted on October 26, 2010, consisting of home and behind-the-scenes footage chronicling his rise to fame, and interviews with people such as Usher and Scooter Braun. Matt Elias of MTV News
said it contains "eye-popping visuals" and "sweeping camera moves" to give an "epic" feeling. Elias also stated that the trailer shows that the movie was more than a concert film, and "takes you beyond the stage and shows his everyday life", while making a focus on his fans. On the day of the trailer's release, Bieber surprised the audience at the Los Angeles date of his My World Tour by unveiling the trailer. On November 22, 2010, it was revealed that the movie would be screened early on February 9, 2011 for select viewers. Fans were able to purchase tickets for it beginning November 29, 2010, and could also receive official movie merchandise like a souvenir VIP lanyard, a glow stick, a bracelet and purple 3-D glasses for the film. The second official trailer was released on November 22, 2010. It emphasized the 3-D aspect, starting with Bieber throwing popcorn and silly string as the words "This Valentine's Day, See Bieber... Like Never Before" portrayed across the screen. Shown are montages of home footage, behind the scenes footage, and tour clips, including Bieber throwing his shirt into the crowd. The end of the trailer shows Bieber learning about the cameras used to shoot the 3-D film, as well as trying out the film's trademark purple 3-D glasses.
. The film, whose name was not released until October 2010, was directed by Jon Chu
. Chu says the film is a documentary, without any "acted-out scenes."
, 64% of 101 critics gave the film a positive review with an average score of 5.8/10; the consensus stating "As a tour documentary, it's rather uninspired — but as a 3D glimpse of a building pop culture phenomenon, Never Say Never is undeniably entertaining." Metacritic
gave the film a 52/100 "metascore" based on 22 critical reviews. Peter Hartlaub of the San Francisco Chronicle
gave the film 2 out of 4 stars, stating that it would surely please Bieber's large fan base and that adults could find the film tolerable as well.
, which grossed $31 million. Never Say Never is said to have exceeded industry expectations, nearly matching the $31.1 million grossed by Miley Cyrus
's 2008 3-D concert film, Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert
, which holds the record for the top debut for a music-documentary. Furthermore it grossed higher first weekend totals than the 2009 concert film, Michael Jackson's This Is It
, and at least two-times more than fellow teen act Jonas Brothers
' 2009 3D concert film, Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience
, which it made more in two days than the Jonas Brothers concert did in its entire run.
In the United States, it is the highest grossing music concert movie since 1984 and the third-highest grossing documentary since 1982.
in an alternate version entitled Justin Bieber: Never Say Never - Director's Fan Cut on February 25, 2011 in 3D theaters in the United States and Canada. This version has 40 minutes of new footage, while 30 minutes of the original have been removed, so the running time is 115 minutes - 10 minutes longer than the original. The screenings are preceded by a short film of The Legion of Extraordinary Dancers, another award winning project by director Jon Chu.
released the film on DVD and Blu-ray on May 13, 2011 in the United States.
Documentary
A documentary is a creative work of non-fiction, including:* Documentary film, including television* Radio documentary* Documentary photographyRelated terms include:...
/concert film
Concert film
A concert movie, or concert film, is a type of documentary film, the subject of which is an extended live performance or concert by a musician ....
centering on singer Justin Bieber
Justin Bieber
Justin Drew Bieber is a Canadian pop/R&B singer, songwriter and actor. Bieber was discovered in 2008 by Scooter Braun, who came across Bieber's videos on YouTube and later became his manager...
. It was released in the United States and Canada on February 11, 2011.
Plot
The film follows the pop star Justin BieberJustin Bieber
Justin Drew Bieber is a Canadian pop/R&B singer, songwriter and actor. Bieber was discovered in 2008 by Scooter Braun, who came across Bieber's videos on YouTube and later became his manager...
during 10 days counting down to what is considered his most prestigious performance, that of August 31, 2010 in Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
, sold out in 22 minutes. It shows footage of the performances during this period from his My World Tour
My World Tour
The My World Tour is the debut concert tour by Canadian recording artist Justin Bieber. It is Bieber's first concert tour which supports his two-part debut album My World and My World 2.0. The tour was officially announced on March 16, 2010, a week before My World 2.0 was released...
. It shows excited female fans (mostly young), and several instances of the "One Less Lonely Girl" routine of inviting a girl on stage to be the object of his affection, and of surprising random girls with free tickets to his concerts. The main people around Bieber, being like family and good friends to him, are interviewed, but Bieber himself is not. Various instances of praying together before a show are shown.
The film also includes a visit Bieber made to his original hometown while being in Canada for the tour. He is scolded for having damaged his voice while he had fun with his old friends. Reluctantly he accepts the postponement of the Syracuse performance. He is not allowed to speak for some days, and thus recovers enough to do the next performance, at MSG.
Also included are some of the story and old videos of Bieber's childhood. He was raised by his mother but also had a very special bond with his maternal grandfather. The latter still gets emotional about the time that Bieber and his mother moved to Atlanta.
Cast
- Justin BieberJustin BieberJustin Drew Bieber is a Canadian pop/R&B singer, songwriter and actor. Bieber was discovered in 2008 by Scooter Braun, who came across Bieber's videos on YouTube and later became his manager...
- UsherUsher (entertainer)Usher Terry Raymond IV , who performs under the mononym Usher, is an American singer-songwriter, and actor. He is considered around the world to be the reigning King of R&B. Usher rose to fame in the late 1990s with the release of his second album My Way, which spawned his first Billboard Hot 100...
- Miley CyrusMiley CyrusMiley Ray Cyrus is an American actress and pop singer-songwriter. She achieved wide fame for her role as Miley Stewart/Hannah Montana on the Disney Channel sitcom Hannah Montana....
- Jaden SmithJaden SmithJaden Christopher Syre Smith is an American child actor, rapper, songwriter, dancer, and the son of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith. He is the elder brother of singer Willow Smith...
- Sean KingstonSean KingstonSean Kingston is a Jamaican-American singer. He pursued a music career and debuted in 2007 with the album Sean Kingston.-Early life:...
- Snoop DoggSnoop DoggCalvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school...
- LudacrisLudacrisChristopher Brian Bridges , better known by his stage name Ludacris, is an American rapper and actor. Along with his manager, Chaka Zulu, Ludacris is the co-founder of Disturbing tha Peace, an imprint distributed by Def Jam Recordings...
- Boyz II MenBoyz II MenBoyz II Men is an American R&B vocal group best known for emotional ballads and a cappella harmonies. They are the most successful R&B group of all time, having sold more than albums worldwide. In the 1990s, Boyz II Men found fame on Motown Records as a quartet, but original member Michael McCary...
- Scooter BraunScooter BraunScott Samuel "Scooter" Braun is an American talent manager. His acts appear on two record labels, Raymond-Braun Media Group and Schoolboy Records. The most prominent artist Braun represents is Justin Bieber, who is signed to Raymond-Braun Media Group...
- L.A. Reid
- Jeremy Bieber
- Hayden Thompson
- Scrappy Stassen
- Jay LenoJay LenoJames Douglas Muir "Jay" Leno is an American stand-up comedian and television host.From 1992 to 2009, Leno was the host of NBC's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Beginning in September 2009, Leno started a primetime talk show, titled The Jay Leno Show, which aired weeknights at 10:00 p.m. ,...
(archive footage) - Chelsea HandlerChelsea HandlerChelsea Joy Handler is an American stand-up comedian, humorist, television host, actress, model and best-selling author. She currently hosts a late-night talk show titled, Chelsea Lately on the E! Cable Television Network. In 2009 she won a Bravo A-List Award...
(archive footage)
Pre-production
On August 2, 2010, Deadline.comDeadline.com
Deadline.com, part of Jay Penske's PMC, is an online magazine, founded and edited by Nikki Finke.-Publication:The site is updated several times a day, with the infotainment industry as its focus.-History:...
reported that Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
was prepping a film featuring the singer. The website also reported that the film, described as a "feature biopic" would be directed by the Academy Award-winning An Inconvenient Truth
An Inconvenient Truth
An Inconvenient Truth is a 2006 documentary film directed by Davis Guggenheim about former United States Vice President Al Gore's campaign to educate citizens about global warming via a comprehensive slide show that, by his own estimate, he has given more than a thousand times.Premiering at the...
Davis Guggenheim
Philip Davis Guggenheim is an Academy Award-winning American film director and producer. His credits as a producer and director include Training Day, The Shield, Alias, 24, NYPD Blue, ER, Deadwood, and Party of Five and the documentaries An Inconvenient Truth and Waiting for 'Superman...
. The untitled film was said to also include performances from Bieber's My World Tour
My World Tour
The My World Tour is the debut concert tour by Canadian recording artist Justin Bieber. It is Bieber's first concert tour which supports his two-part debut album My World and My World 2.0. The tour was officially announced on March 16, 2010, a week before My World 2.0 was released...
throughout. Bieber's manager Scooter Braun
Scooter Braun
Scott Samuel "Scooter" Braun is an American talent manager. His acts appear on two record labels, Raymond-Braun Media Group and Schoolboy Records. The most prominent artist Braun represents is Justin Bieber, who is signed to Raymond-Braun Media Group...
and Island Def Jam president L.A. Reid were tapped to produce, and the film was tentatively given a Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day
Saint Valentine's Day, commonly shortened to Valentine's Day, is an annual commemoration held on February 14 celebrating love and affection between intimate companions. The day is named after one or more early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine, and was established by Pope Gelasius I in 496...
2011 release date. After the report was published by Deadline, Bieber confirmed the news on his official Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
account, and verified that it would be released around February 11, 2011. In a following tweet, Bieber stated that the performances for the film would be those set to take place at Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
on the tour. On August 4, 2010, Deadline reported that Guggenheim had dropped out of the directing position for the film, in order to concentrate on promotion for Waiting for "Superman".
After the future of the film was up in the air for a few days, on August 13, 2010, it was reported that Step Up 3D director Jon Chu
Jon Chu
Jonathan Murray "Jon" Chu is an American film director and screenwriter best known for directing the movies Step Up 2: The Streets, Step Up 3D and Justin Bieber: Never Say Never. Chu is an alumnus of the University of Southern California School of Cinema-Television...
was recruited to direct the film. On directing the film, Chu stated that he "jumped at the opportunity to tell a story with honesty and heart", as most people did not know that Bieber had a "true underdog story." Chu went on to say that he hoped to tell his story in a "compelling, genuine way, using all source materials available to convey his tale of becoming an icon for this digital age."
In another interview, Chu said that the movie was for fans and non-fans alike, commenting, "we're gonna tell the underdog story of where he came from." He later explained that it was fascinating due to Bieber's story had much to do with the modern "digital lifestyle", such as using YouTube, and how it is "a pretty cool story for our time." On the type of film, Chu said "There's not going to be acted-out scenes and I can't talk about the rest. It's not your typical concert film and it's not going to be a biopic, but it is about his life."
Development
On August 24, 2010, on Twitter, Bieber and Chu announced that fans could enter a contest to be a part of the movie by sending a home video singing Bieber's "That Should Be MeThat Should Be Me
"That Should Be Me" is a song by Canadian recording artist Justin Bieber, included as a track on his first studio album, My World 2.0, released on March 19, 2010. The song was written by Bieber alongside Luke Boyd and Nasri Atweh and Adam Messinger of The Messengers, the production team who...
", or they should "Show us how 'U Smile' " by sending in a photo or video. The contest lasted for twenty-four hours. On August 31, 2010, filming took place at his concert at Madison Square Garden for scenes for the film, and Bieber donned white and purple attire, his tour colors. Bieber performed his set list, and in addition to opening acts the Sean Kingston
Sean Kingston
Sean Kingston is a Jamaican-American singer. He pursued a music career and debuted in 2007 with the album Sean Kingston.-Early life:...
and Jessica Jarrell, Iyaz
Iyaz
Keidran Jones , better known by his stage name Iyaz, is a singer signed with the record label Beluga Heights Records from the British Virgin Islands. His debut single "Replay", was released in 2009 and reached number two on the US Billboard Hot 100, number-one in the UK, Australia and the top ten...
, Boyz II Men
Boyz II Men
Boyz II Men is an American R&B vocal group best known for emotional ballads and a cappella harmonies. They are the most successful R&B group of all time, having sold more than albums worldwide. In the 1990s, Boyz II Men found fame on Motown Records as a quartet, but original member Michael McCary...
, Usher
Usher (entertainer)
Usher Terry Raymond IV , who performs under the mononym Usher, is an American singer-songwriter, and actor. He is considered around the world to be the reigning King of R&B. Usher rose to fame in the late 1990s with the release of his second album My Way, which spawned his first Billboard Hot 100...
, Miley Cyrus
Miley Cyrus
Miley Ray Cyrus is an American actress and pop singer-songwriter. She achieved wide fame for her role as Miley Stewart/Hannah Montana on the Disney Channel sitcom Hannah Montana....
, Ludacris
Ludacris
Christopher Brian Bridges , better known by his stage name Ludacris, is an American rapper and actor. Along with his manager, Chaka Zulu, Ludacris is the co-founder of Disturbing tha Peace, an imprint distributed by Def Jam Recordings...
and Jaden Smith
Jaden Smith
Jaden Christopher Syre Smith is an American child actor, rapper, songwriter, dancer, and the son of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith. He is the elder brother of singer Willow Smith...
appeared and performed songs with the singer. In a review, Jocelyn Vena of MTV News
MTV News
MTV News is the news division of MTV, one of the first and most popular music television network in the U.S., as well as some of MTV's related channels around the world. MTV News began in the late 1980s with the program The Week In Rock, hosted by Kurt Loder, the first official MTV News correspondent...
said "Any signs that Bieber had fallen ill only two days before weren't remotely evident. He turned his swag on [...] for the cameras filming the show for his upcoming film.
In explaining the film's plot, Chu said that the film's plot was like a "hyperlink", unlike other concert films which only saw music and backstage action, but told the story of the rise of his career, and "stories of his life", using music. The director further explained, "You know, if he's talking about his youth and talking about his magnetic smile, you start to hear 'U Smile
U Smile
"U Smile" is a song performed by Canadian recording artist Justin Bieber. It was written by Bieber, Jerry Duplessis, Arden Altino, and Dan August Rigo, and produced by Duplessis and Altino. According to Bieber, the song is dedicated to his fans. The song was released as the second digital-only...
' start to creep in the background and the underscore ... you see images from his life, and at the end of that song, the spotlight from the number connects with the spotlight of his tour bus and he goes back into his bed." On the film's direction toward his haters and naysayers, the director commented that the top thing they wanted in the film was "honesty", explaining "People have a very preconceived notion of Justin Bieber and people can think whatever they want, but we wanted to show the honest other side of Justin." At the Los Angeles signing of his novel, Justin Bieber: First Step 2 Forever: My Story, Bieber said that with the film, he wanted to "let people know there's a lot of people that are discouraging in life and that will tell you you can't do something, but you just got to remember that the sky's the limit." He went on, explaining, "You're able to do whatever you set your mind to as long as you remember to keep God first and stay grounded. So I think the movie really explains that, and it's really inspiring." Chu echoed similar sentiments, commenting "Every step, everyone's always said, 'No, no, no, no.' And he's always said, 'Yes, yes, yes.' And that sort of 'never say never' idea is conveyed in the trailer." According to the director, the "power" of the movie "to help inspire kids to follow their dreams, and anyone really, kid or adult" noting that it could be a "family journey."
Promotion
On October 13, 2010, Chu tweeted to send Bieber's fans on an Internet scavenger hunt to solve the puzzle of the movie poster, which would in turn reveal the title of the film. Pieces of the puzzle were revealed by celebrities such as Usher, Ellen DeGeneresEllen DeGeneres
Ellen Lee DeGeneres is an American stand-up comedienne, television host and actress. She hosts the syndicated talk show The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and was also a judge on American Idol for one year, having joined the show in its ninth season....
, and Ryan Seacrest
Ryan Seacrest
Ryan John Seacrest is an American radio personality, television host, network producer and voice actor. He is the host of On Air with Ryan Seacrest, a nationally syndicated Top 40 radio show that airs on KIIS-FM in Los Angeles and throughout the United States and Canada on Premiere Radio Networks,...
, and Bieber's manager Scooter Braun
Scooter Braun
Scott Samuel "Scooter" Braun is an American talent manager. His acts appear on two record labels, Raymond-Braun Media Group and Schoolboy Records. The most prominent artist Braun represents is Justin Bieber, who is signed to Raymond-Braun Media Group...
. The final piece was revealed two days later, tweeted by USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
, and it revealed the movie's title, Justin Bieber: Never Say Never.
The first trailer for the film debuted on October 26, 2010, consisting of home and behind-the-scenes footage chronicling his rise to fame, and interviews with people such as Usher and Scooter Braun. Matt Elias of MTV News
MTV News
MTV News is the news division of MTV, one of the first and most popular music television network in the U.S., as well as some of MTV's related channels around the world. MTV News began in the late 1980s with the program The Week In Rock, hosted by Kurt Loder, the first official MTV News correspondent...
said it contains "eye-popping visuals" and "sweeping camera moves" to give an "epic" feeling. Elias also stated that the trailer shows that the movie was more than a concert film, and "takes you beyond the stage and shows his everyday life", while making a focus on his fans. On the day of the trailer's release, Bieber surprised the audience at the Los Angeles date of his My World Tour by unveiling the trailer. On November 22, 2010, it was revealed that the movie would be screened early on February 9, 2011 for select viewers. Fans were able to purchase tickets for it beginning November 29, 2010, and could also receive official movie merchandise like a souvenir VIP lanyard, a glow stick, a bracelet and purple 3-D glasses for the film. The second official trailer was released on November 22, 2010. It emphasized the 3-D aspect, starting with Bieber throwing popcorn and silly string as the words "This Valentine's Day, See Bieber... Like Never Before" portrayed across the screen. Shown are montages of home footage, behind the scenes footage, and tour clips, including Bieber throwing his shirt into the crowd. The end of the trailer shows Bieber learning about the cameras used to shoot the 3-D film, as well as trying out the film's trademark purple 3-D glasses.
Production
The news for the film came through July 2010. Production began that summer, leading up to his concert at Madison Square GardenMadison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
. The film, whose name was not released until October 2010, was directed by Jon Chu
Jon Chu
Jonathan Murray "Jon" Chu is an American film director and screenwriter best known for directing the movies Step Up 2: The Streets, Step Up 3D and Justin Bieber: Never Say Never. Chu is an alumnus of the University of Southern California School of Cinema-Television...
. Chu says the film is a documentary, without any "acted-out scenes."
Critical reception
Never Say Never met with generally positive reviews from film critics. According to review aggregate Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
, 64% of 101 critics gave the film a positive review with an average score of 5.8/10; the consensus stating "As a tour documentary, it's rather uninspired — but as a 3D glimpse of a building pop culture phenomenon, Never Say Never is undeniably entertaining." Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
gave the film a 52/100 "metascore" based on 22 critical reviews. Peter Hartlaub of the San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco Chronicle
thumb|right|upright|The Chronicle Building following the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake|1906 earthquake]] and fireThe San Francisco Chronicle is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, but distributed throughout Northern and Central California,...
gave the film 2 out of 4 stars, stating that it would surely please Bieber's large fan base and that adults could find the film tolerable as well.
Box office
It topped the Friday box office by an estimated grossing of $12.4 million on its opening day from 3,105 theaters. It grossed $29,514,054 for the weekend, and was narrowly beaten by the romantic comedy Just Go With ItJust Go With It
Just Go with It is a 2011 romantic comedy film directed by Dennis Dugan, starring Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston. The film was released on , 2011...
, which grossed $31 million. Never Say Never is said to have exceeded industry expectations, nearly matching the $31.1 million grossed by Miley Cyrus
Miley Cyrus
Miley Ray Cyrus is an American actress and pop singer-songwriter. She achieved wide fame for her role as Miley Stewart/Hannah Montana on the Disney Channel sitcom Hannah Montana....
's 2008 3-D concert film, Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert
Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert
Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert is a 2008 American concert film from Walt Disney Pictures presented in Disney Digital 3-D. Released in the United States and Canada originally for one week, February 1–7, 2008, with release in other countries later on...
, which holds the record for the top debut for a music-documentary. Furthermore it grossed higher first weekend totals than the 2009 concert film, Michael Jackson's This Is It
Michael Jackson's This Is It
Michael Jackson's This Is It is a 2009 American documentary–concert film directed by Kenny Ortega that documents Michael Jackson's rehearsals and preparation for the concert series of the same name scheduled to start on July 13, 2009, but canceled due to his death eighteen days prior on June 25. It...
, and at least two-times more than fellow teen act Jonas Brothers
Jonas Brothers
The Jonas Brothers are an American boy band. The band gained its popularity from the Disney Channel children's television network. From the shore region of New Jersey, the band consists of three brothers: Paul Kevin Jonas II , Joseph Adam Jonas , and Nicholas Jerry Jonas...
' 2009 3D concert film, Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience
Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience
Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience is a 2009 concert film released in Disney Digital 3-D, Real D 3D and IMAX 3D. It was released in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico on February 27, 2009 with the release in other countries later on. The film stars the American pop trio Kevin, Joe...
, which it made more in two days than the Jonas Brothers concert did in its entire run.
In the United States, it is the highest grossing music concert movie since 1984 and the third-highest grossing documentary since 1982.
Director's Fan Cut
The film was re-released limitedlyLimited release
Limited release is a term in the American motion picture industry for a motion picture that is playing in a select few theaters across the country ....
in an alternate version entitled Justin Bieber: Never Say Never - Director's Fan Cut on February 25, 2011 in 3D theaters in the United States and Canada. This version has 40 minutes of new footage, while 30 minutes of the original have been removed, so the running time is 115 minutes - 10 minutes longer than the original. The screenings are preceded by a short film of The Legion of Extraordinary Dancers, another award winning project by director Jon Chu.
Home video
Paramount Home EntertainmentParamount Home Entertainment
Paramount Home Entertainment is the division of Paramount Pictures dealing with home video founded in late 1975.-History:...
released the film on DVD and Blu-ray on May 13, 2011 in the United States.
See also
- "Never Say NeverNever Say Never (Justin Bieber song)"Never Say Never" is a song by Canadian recording artist Justin Bieber. The song serves as the theme song for The Karate Kid , and features rap interludes from the film's star, Jaden Smith. It was originally a risque demo with sexual lyrics performed by American singer Travis Garland, it was...
", a song by Bieber
External links
- Official websites: North America, United Kingdom