I'm going to admit something rather embarrassing today. And I'm going to blame it squarely on the three young boys in the house. But, if I'm being honest, I was kind of excited when they said "yes".
See, I was tooling around on Redbox.com to find a movie for "Family Movie Night", which is back in full swing now that school has cranked up. I had been looking at options for at least 5 minutes when smallish people started crowding around me. Then, a larger one joined the group. And then a random dog. Still, even with all the "help", I couldn't find anything remotely worth watching that 1) I'd let the kids view 2) they hadn't seen and 3) most importantly, Mike and I could STAND to watch.
When I spotted a picture of teenage singer Justin Bieber, I shouted the idea to the now dispersed crowd. I was shocked when I received a hearty "Yes!" from Nickels. "OK." I thought "Maybe there's a chance Hoo will watch it to." To my complete shock, all three Nowell boys weren't only on board, they were excited.
So, there's full circle on how we ended up watching Justin Bieber's movie "Never Say Never" tonight. It was the first "G" movie I found that got three thumbs-up from the kids and wasn't described as having "thematic elements", "crude language" and/or "drug references".
In all honesty, I didn't check to see how long the movie was. This thing clocked in at 105 minutes. And, considering it was full of girls from young to old with lungs that could scream paint off a wall, I might have reconsidered had the disc not already been home when I discovered this little fact. Truly, this was stretching my ability to deal with screaming, crying, hysterically-in-love pubescent girlage.
But, I was pleasantly surprised. Actually, more than pleasantly surprised. And here comes the embarrassment: about half way through the movie I realized I had become a Justin Bieber fan.
I had Bieber fever.
Yes, I think the Donny Osmond of our times has been identified. And he even wears purple. SIGH.*
This movie was so much fun to listen to in surround sound that we felt like we had front row seats to every performance. I appreciated the fact that, with the exception of Miley Cyrus making an appearance in a semi-trampy outfit, there wasn't anything untoward in terms of costuming, language, activity, etc. I would even be hard pressed to identify many tattoos (save Justin's father).
The story has a rags-to-riches theme running through it. But, without the (so far) "Fame ruined me and now I'm hyped up on Oxycotin and sitting in my own waste in the back of a Maybach as the paparazzi tries to get my picture."
I was also shocked to watch genuine prayer and gratitude toward God. And, to witness that Justin just seems like a regular 16-year-old boy, who was given an amazing musical gift and is now sharing it with the world. And all because he wouldn't quit on his dream.
Yes, that message is in there. Once, it is a little canned, but the reaction is priceless from the recipient (watch for the girl with the violin). But, more often than not, it is just part of the narrative of the movie, which is given from the perspective of the people who helped Justin become who he is and genuinely seem to want to help, not ruin, him.
Mike and I both agreed that this is NOT how we would want our boys to live their young lives. Too much pressure, too many responsibilities, just too much, too soon.
But, I'm hopeful, that Justin Bieber will be that class act, that one-in-a-million, that actually makes it to adulthood without being ruined. And that his voice changes in ways that he can sing until his old age. And that he can find TRUE love amidst all the psychotic voices that are screaming "I love you!!!!!!!"
Two pinkies up. With a very vivid understanding that he is old enough to be a grandchild of mine and that his mother could be my daughter, if the circumstances had been just right.**
*I WAS Mrs. Donny Osmond in my dreams.
**Geez am I ever getting old.
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