Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping (2016)

Directed by Akiva Schaffer & Jorma Taccone. Starring Andy Samberg, Jorma Taccone, Akiva Schaffer, Tim Meadows, Sarah Silverman, Chris Redd, Imogen Poots, Maya Rudolph, Joan Cusack. [R]

The This Is Spinal Tap rock mockumentary style is updated to the modern age when dance pop and hip-hop dominate the charts. Andy Samberg plays Connor4Real, an industry superstar dealing with the fallout of the release of his heavily-hyped album to dismal reviews and sales. Raucous, off-the-wall comedy throws everything it can at the dartboard and sees what sticks, be it affectionately mocking satire, sly insider jabs, deadpan one-liners, knowingly dumb gags, or gross-out vulgarity. As a result, the final edit is ragged and misses opportunities to go “incisive” instead of “silly”, but it’s also speedy and relentless and generates more than enough gut-busters (even the shameful kind) to ultimately succeed in style. Serving as actors, producers, writers and directors, it’s Samberg, Jorma Taccone and Akiva Schaffer’s show—they of comedy trio The Lonely Island fame—but they share the wealth with their co-stars, including a galaxy of celebrity cameos from both the film and music industries, often playing themselves. As it goes with The Lonely Island, the songs are often ridiculous but still catchy enough to get stuck in the head (notably “Finest Girl (Bin Laden Song)”).

75/100