Justin Timberlake and narrative

The director's cut of Justin Timberlake's “What goes around comes back around” uses the notion of narrative in the music video. The video begins with a film opening introducing the two protagonists, the girl that is played by Scarlett Johanson and Justin Timberlake himself. By using the artist in the film as an actor, another narrative is already created where there are two running alongside each other in the video. Justin is the guy in the film and also the performer. We see him peforming at the bar as a concert but he looks like a guest by his casual dress compared to the other performers in their fancy clothes. Then we see him backstage with the dancers and Scarlett Johanson's character. The shots cut back and forth from the film narrative and the bar narrative but both can also be worked in together. The music sometimes seems like background focus and we are more drawn into the film narrative (includes a beginning, middle and end) that is playing before us.

At a certain point, the music stops completely altogether and we are allowed to focus on the film itself. This is the scene where she is caught with the other male character at the top of the stairs. Here we fully focus on the narrative through most of the video as the rest of the story unfolds and she gets into her car and drives away. Unlike most music videos where the characters lack dialogue - the characters in this video are able to speak and we are able to maybe understand the appropriation of the video and the lyrics more clearly.

The video itself is about 10 minutes long and therefore being more of a film narrative than just a music video. Also I think, it is a way to introduce Justin Timberlake into the acting arena since he has started starring in some films recently and the crossover that most music artists make into the acting side.

Love the video!