I’m going to go on record and say the From Justin to Kelly is not the worst movie ever. In my opinion it is a visual and cultural time capsule that should be studied. It is terrible and entertaining…and terrible. It is also one of my favorite movie musicals from the past 20 years or so. When I think of how hard so many people must have worked in this awful little movie, I have no choice but to tip my hat. It really does take a village.
In an interview Brian Cranston once said that he doesn’t view the actions of his comedic characters as funny. He said that if he did it would impede on the audience’s ability to determine for themselves, essentially watching performers crack is fun, but isn’t it tastier when they commit to the bit?
Which is exactly the movie works for me. It takes its self seriously even though all the evidence says that it shouldn’t. A spring break romance set to music was never going to be prestige viewing but the writing, dancing, and songs take it somewhere worse than expected.
If the cast was completely talentless this movie would not be tolerable at all. I mean Anika Noni Rose, TIANA, is in it, so talent is present it’s just misguided. I mean if the choreography, script, and songs are trash even the best performers aren’t going to save it. That’s too big an ask. Justin Guarini and Kelly Clarkson weren’t even actors or dancers, they were fresh off of winning/not winning American Idol. Putting them in a movie, let alone a musical, just doesn’t make sense. Yet it happened, it exists.
This movie has all the early 2000s staples. Easily solvable misunderstandings, questionable friend groups, and romance that is paper thin. Like many movies of the era missed connections and almost willful misunderstandings are what drive the plot forward. Most of which are manufactured by Alexa, Kelly’s catty friend, who wants Justin for herself simply because of… reasons. This movie is like the sun, you can’t stare at it for too long. It is, in my opinion, best taken for its sum rather than its parts.
