Sometimes great movies don’t get the attention they deserve, and that was definitely the case with 2016’s “Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping.”
This genius musical mockumentary is up there with “This is Spinal Tap” as a titan of the genre, but unfortunately, flopped at the global box office and seemed destined to fall into obscurity without its deserved recognition.
Fortunately, over the years, it’s developed a cult following as more and more viewers discover its hilarious writing, genuinely catchy tunes and brilliant comedic performances. Even better, it’s just been added to the Prime Video movie library (as of March 16), and there’s never been a better time to give this highly underrated musical comedy a chance.
“Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping” is irreverent in the best possible way, and while it’s extremely silly, it also tells quite a sweet story about brotherhood. Let’s dive into what makes this comedy such a special movie, and why it’s one of the funniest flicks of the past decade.
What is ‘Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping’ about?
Released in the wake of popular concert movies like “Justin Bieber: Never Say Never,” “One Direction: This is Us” and “Katy Perry: Part of Me,” “Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping” is a hilarious lampooning of pampered popstars and the lavish lifestyles they lead.
Starring musical-comedy trio The Lonely Island, the spoof documentary follows Conner (Andy Samberg), a former member of a popular group called “The Style Boyz,” now striking out on his own under the name “Conner4Real” following a group’s disbandment.
While his former bandmates, Owen (Jorma Tacone) and Lawrence (Akiva Schaffer), have faded into the background, Conner’s star has only risen higher, but so has his ego. As he prepares to launch his second solo album, he faces the music as his superstar status starts to crash and burn.
‘Popstar” is pretty much the perfect comedy
One of my preferred metrics for judging a comedy is its quotability, and “Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping” scores near-perfect marks. One of my favorite scenes sees Connor reading the terrible reviews for his new album ("Rolling Stones gave it the s**t emoji") and then declaring “Let’s call it mixed reviews.” And I genuinely use that quote on an almost daily basis.
It’s just one of the dozens of memorable lines throughout. Though, I can’t write out many of them here, because fair warning, “Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping” can be pretty darn rude. However, it’s got a real impish appeal, and never crosses over into distasteful crudeness. Instead, it feels charmingly youthful in its regular use of potty humor.
It’s not just the script that is well-written either. The movie is also packed with hilarious, but remarkably toe-tapping, tunes. The infamous “Finest Girl” song (the lyrics of which I 100% can't write here) usually gets the most attention, but I’m hugely partial to “Incredible Thoughts” and “Mona Lisa.”
These songs are funny but also extremely catchy. Just don’t go singing some of the lyrics around the office because that’ll get you in hot water.
“Popstar’s” biggest advantage is having one of the 21st century’s very best comedic actors in the leading role. Andy Samberg (who co-wrote the flick with his Lonely Island bandmates) seems born to play this role.
Samberg hits all the comedy marks flawlessly. He also does an excellent job with the movie’s more tender scenes. Connor is an egotistical jerk for much of the runtime, but we also see a vulnerability adding greater depth.
The supporting cast deserves their flowers as well. Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone (co-directors and the other members of The Lonely Island) have fantastic chemistry with Samberg, and Sarah Silverman and Tim Meadows are great as Connor’s publicist and manager respectively.
There’s also a load of hilarious cameos from real-world musical stars like DJ Khaled, Seal, Usher, Rihanna, Pink, 50 Cent, and even Ringo Starr.
There’s no denying “Popstar” is very silly — there’s a farcical scene where Connor is accidentally stripped naked on stage — but it’s also deceptively clever. It takes well-considered shots at the music industry and smartly satirizes the toxic fame machine. Plus, its exploration of friendship through “The Style Boyz” break up and potential reunion is genuinely quite sweet.
Perhaps the true magic of “Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping” is that I’ve watched it probably half a dozen times and I've yet to come close to tiring of it. Even while writing this article, I’ve been skimming through my favorite moments, and wouldn’t you know it, I now have an intense itch to rewatch the whole movie. That’s the mark of a truly great comedy.
Stream ‘Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping” on Prime Video now
I’m glad that over the years “Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping” has enjoyed a resurgence in popularity following its bombing at the box office.
Nevertheless, it still feels a little underground. Those who like it love it, but it doesn’t yet have household name recognition. Here’s hoping its arrival this month on Prime Video can get "Popstar" closer to that deserved status because few comedy movies are as consistently hilarious as it.
“Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping” packs everything you could want from a comedy. Between the cast of comedic talent, the extremely sharp screenplay and the soundtrack you’ll be unironically listening to afterward, what’s not to love?
Need some extra picks after you’ve streamed “Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping?” Here’s our roundup of everything new added to Prime Video in March 2025 including a selection of highlights you won’t want to miss.
Watch "Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping" on Prime Video now
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