Justin Bieber wants you to believe, to accept his side of the story and to let him take us along this journey with him.
The musical-documentary Believe is directed by Jon M. Chu, the undeniable talent behind great works such as G.I. Joe: Retaliation, Step Up 2: The Streets, and the previous Bieber documentary, Never Say Never. It is no surprise then that he was picked for this sequel. Believe is a visual masterpiece, and Chu is intimately acquainted with Bieber, having worked on the musical tour of the same name.
It’s simple: Bieber, his manager Scooter Braun, his mentor Usher, and the rest of the crew really just want you to believe. Believe in him, and this young man can continue his dream of making music.
And sure, while Bieber may struggle at times, his family and friends are always there to keep him grounded and remind him that pants are meant to cover a certain area of the body — not expose it.
From screaming back at paparazzi to urinating in a bucket in public, Bieber left little of himself behind. The documentary is a response to the highly publicized outrageous moments that have captured the attention of many in the past year.
We get an inside look at Bieber’s creative side, from the moment he sits down to write a song to the recording process with his crew.
We also get to see the kinds of relationships he has with his fans. For instance, Avalanna Routh. Bieber cultivated a friendship with the six-year-old cancer patient, nicknamed “Mrs. Bieber,” and spent many hours with her as well as inviting her to one of his concerts. The news of her death left Bieber mournful, leading him to dedicate his song, “One Less Lonely Girl” to her memory while images of her were displayed during one of his performances.
That’s not to say that Believe is not a an attempt at correcting Bieber’s public image — because it is. The documentary is a way for his fans to shift their focus towards his music and human side, rather than his scandalous personal life. And while potential for growing facial hair is doubtful, there is potential for this young artist to grow and evolve into a fully developed artist.
And if he falls off the rails once more, I’m sure Chu is ready for a third documentary.
Although Believe was well-directed, it may nevertheless be wise to wait for the DVD to come out, unless of course you are a true Belieber.