He's got better mascara than I do. And he has a new fragrance launching at Wal-Mart on November 26 (aka Black Friday). He's got money, adoring minions and über-perfect hair to top off his teen-dream life. Can Justin Bieber do no wrong?
Not according to the splashy new trailer for "Never Say Never," the upcoming 3D doc about the music biz's 16-year-old Prince of Pop.
"My name is Justin. This is how I drum."
These cutesy words come from toddler Bieber, as he's slapping a chair. That's some of the dusty home video that helps launch this slick music video production. The trailer premiered Monday night at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, where it reportedly prompted so much screaming that the only other words Bieber's fans likely heard were his final thoughts in the 90-second preview:
"There's gonna be times where people tell you that you can't live your dreams. This is what I tell them: Never say never!"
An inspiring thought, to be sure, from a teen phenom who knows.
But there is more to learn about Bieber and his entourage if you tune out the tween screeching.
He did this all on his own. That's what one pal in Bieber's inner sanctum tells us. Really? Everything? Contracts? Makeup? Stage set up? Airplane reservations? There's no denying that this small-town Canadian kid had a dream and went for it. Good on him. But when this statement is followed by a group of dancers propelling him across the stage like a Las Vegas showgirl it's hard to buy. Even 16-year-old superstars need their peeps.
Bieber's got balls. There, amidst the singing, dancing and screaming girls, we see "young" Bieber playing with tennis balls and jumping in ball-filled play-gyms -- the kind that most kids get lost in at birthday parties. We see heartthrob Bieber running around a basketball court dribbling the ball solo. It's cute. It's funny.
Usher's upset. "The first time I saw him he almost passed me by." Is Usher wounded or amused when he recalls his first encounter with Bieber? It's hard to tell how Bieber's biggest supporter feels in this trailer. Is Usher feeling the pain of a Bieber brush-off?
Model shot. Every pop star needs at least one head-turning slow-motion entrance to and from his dressing room. This trailer delivers. Get ready to sigh and cry when you see this.
Bieber borrows from Michael Jackson. Whether you call it a homage to Michael Jackson's "This Is It" trailer or a rip-off, this "Never Say Never" trailer borrows from the best. Both trailers feature airborne dancers, amazing cinematography and inspirational messages about attaining your dreams. The Jacko vibe doesn't stop there. Bieber does Jackson's signature leg kick on stage. Note to Justin: try some long pants next time. The shorts, sneakers and scrawny teen legs don't do Jackson's dance moves justice.
Bieber borrows from Fred Astaire? Could Bieber be a Fred Astaire junkie? I have to wonder after seeing one quick shot showing the singer dancing up a wall like the acclaimed Astaire did decades ago on film. The showy move might say more about the trailer's editors than Bieber. But if this kid knows his dance history, that's impressive.
Justin likes Jaden: The Prince of Pop shares the stage with an heir apparent: Jaden Smith. The trailer only hints at what these two stars will deliver in the 3D film, which rolls into theatres on Valentine's Day weekend in 2011. But if the trailer is any indication, we'll get two cute boys and a veritable pop-star smackdown.
The secret to that hair. How does a teenage boy run around on stage with a head set, tear through shopping malls and dash from fans without ever messing his hair? Bieber's got the secret, although it is never revealed in the trailer. But how does he do it? Paste, hairspray, the luck of the gene pool? We'll stay tuned for the answer in "Never Say Never's" 3D sequel.
Bieber's a normal kid: Didn't they say that about Britney Spears? We all know how that turned out. But at least we see friends and family surrounding Bieber here, even when he has one meltdown moment in the trailer. What's a normal teen life without some drama?
Oscar or Razzie? In 2009 Sandra Bullock won an Oscar for "The Blind Side" and a Razzie for "All About Steve." Hell, if Bullock can do it why not Bieber? As the teen phenom tells fans over and over again, "Never say never."
