Don't Stop Believin': Everyman's Journey (2012)
*** 1/2 (out of 4)
Yes, there was a band called Journey before Steve Perry and there was one after. However, what came after Perry left the band didn't really have people lining up to buy massive amounts of tickets but that all changed when the band found Arnel Pineda on YouTube of all places. DON'T STOP BELIEVIN': EVERYMAN'S JOURNEY is an extremely entertaining documentary and I'd be willing to bet that even those who hate the band will find some entertainment to be had here. I will freely admit that I skipped seeing Journey several times because they didn't have Perry but after watching this documentary I went to see the band and they certainly lived up to the hype created in this film. It's pretty remarkable and nearly unbelievable to see how this band changed forms over the decades and especially the great fortune they found when Pineda popped up on YouTube. Hearing the original band members talk about where the band was headed is interesting and what's most interesting is that they all freely and willingly give credit to the "new edition" for bringing in more fans. As for Pineda, it's rather remarkable to see him go from dirty clubs to selling out stadiums in the matter of months and his "journey" to being a rock star is something that's just so hard to believe that if you saw it in a regular movie you'd demand your money back. The film goes into some good detail about the entire history of the band but the most fascinating moments show what happens before concerts where we get to see the band traveling on the tour bus, messing around backstage and of course getting ready for shows.
