Aspiring actress Lora Meredith meets Annie Johnson a homeless black woman at Coney Island and soon they share a tiny apartment. Each woman has an intolerable daughter, though Annie's little girl Sarah Jane, is by far the worse. Neurotic and obnoxious, Sarah Jane doesn't like being black; since she's light-skinned (her father was practically white), she spends the rest of the film passing as white, much to her mother's heartache and shame. Lora, meanwhile, virtually ignores her own daughter in a single-minded quest for stardom.

Neil Diamond stars as Yussel in this tale of a young Jewish cantor who strives to make a career in music. Against the wishes of his rigid father and his loving wife, Yussel travels to California to play his music. Swept up by the excitement, he meets a woman who shares his dream. He grows apart from his family, and becomes confused about what he should ultimately do with his life.

The camera follows Justin Bieber (1994- ) during the ten days leading up to his August, 2010, sold-out show at Madison Square Garden. Footage of these ten days of concerts, rehearsals, and down time with boyhood friends, his mom, and his entourage is inter-cut with home movies, old photos, and interviews showing a musical prodigy who loves to perform, comes to the attention of an Atlanta agent via YouTube, impresses Usher, and rockets to international stardom soon after his 15th birthday. His manager emphasizes the importance of social media and of Justin's work ethic and personality in making him a star; the camera emphasizes Bieber's look. His mom and grandparents shine.