Whether you’re a fan of the lyric-changing,
polka-loving singer or not, it is hard not to enjoy this truly radical comedy.
James Croot said in his review, “A brilliantly
subversive pastiche of the likes of Bohemian Rhapsody or Rocketman, you’re
initially lulled into thinking you’re watching something similar to those
movies here.”
Even though his parents consider it a disappointment,
Alfi Yankovic, played as a child by Richard Aaron Anderson, wants to make songs.
His father, played by Toby Huss, would prefer Al joined him at “the factory,”
especially after hearing that Al’s plan is changing the words to well-known
songs.
“What you’re doing is confusing – and evil,” he scolds.
His mother, played by Julianne Nicholson, has a view that sounds like back up. “It
would be best for all of us if you would just stop being who you are and doing
the things you love.”
However, when a door-to-door salesman, played by
Thomas Lennon, ignites a passion of wanting to be “arguably the most famous
accordion player in an extremely specific genre of music,” she agrees to buy
the instrument, if only Alfie is careful to practice in secret.
Unfortunately, his teenage years, played by David
Bloom, have him with the temptations to break out “Satan’s squeeze-box.”
Forced to do the Chicken Dance at a polka party, the
evening ends miserably when the cops stop the party and his dishonesty is
revealed.
However, after his father destroys the accordion, the
young man, now played by Daniel Radcliffe, isn’t discouraged, moving to Los
Angeles right after high school graduation. However, success doesn’t come fast –
not many bands have a lot for his very certain type of skills – but to does
turn out to be nearly overnight.
A combination of The Knack and luncheon meat makes
creativity with his roommates, played by Spencer Treat Clark, Jack Lancaster,
and Tommy O’Brien, who encourage him to record the song in the nearby bus
station bathroom. Croot said, “Mailing it to a local radio station, incredibly,
it immediately becomes a high-rotation hit, emboldening Al to try and seek out
a record deal.”
Croot continued, “But, after a less-than-successful
meeting, he discovers he’ll have to make it the hard way – get the word out via
playing live in some less-than-salubrious places – and come up with more music.”
“Weird” Al Yankovic and Will Forte play the Scotti brothers that Yankovic meets
with.
However, when his childhood icon Dr. Demento, played
by Rainn Wilson, hears him, Dr. Demento decides to take “Weird” Al Yankovic as
his protégé and help him to become “the future of music.”
Croot said,
What follows is a wild
rise-and-fall-and-rise ride best summed by one character’s challenge to “name
me one creative genius that doesn’t have a chequered past involving drugs,
alcohol and a murderous rampage through the heart of the jungle”.
Yes, while many of
Yankovic’s biggest real-life hits (I Love Rocky Road, Eat It, Amish Paradise)
and their inspirations are detailed, like Sir Peter Jackson’s magnificent, yet
controversial mockumentary Forgotten Silver, everyone will have a point at
which they twig that something isn’t quite right.
For some, the opening narration by Diedrich Bader
could be a clue (“Life is like a parody of your favorite song – just when you
think you all the words…Surprise! You don’t know anything”), for others, it
will be the offer to play with Queen at Live Aid, or his relationship with Madonna,
played by a fabulous, scene-stealing Evan Rachel Wood.
Croot mentioned,
Key scenes more than just
echo movies like Boogie Nights and The Doors, but while the scattershot
approach to humour won’t appeal to everyone (just as Yankovic’s parodies
sometimes polarise) many of the set pieces and “claims” are truly inspired.
As Al, Radcliffe is a
revelation, throwing himself into the role and associated nuttiness with gusto,
just as he always seems to do in his “quirkier” post-Potter roles (Swiss Army
Man and Guns Akimbo two particular examples).
Around him is a cast of famous people we know. Along with
Wood and Wilson, there are also great cameos from Jack Black, Patton Oswalt,
Conan O’Brien, and Lin-Manual Miranda.
Croot noted, “Inspired by director and co-writer Eric
Appel’s (Die Hart, Brooklyn Nine-Nine) 2010 Funny or Die short, Weird was a
deserved winner of the Midnight Madness audience award at last year’s Toronto
International Film Festival.”
While sadly not being released in theaters, where it
could have obviously become a cult hit, this does seem to have found a devoted
audience just as Yankovic’s last film – 1989’s The Vidito from UHF – did in
video stores back then.
This is a funny spoof on biopics. “Weird” Al said in interviews that there are nuggets of truth that are sprinkled all throughout the film. He mentioned that Radcliffe was the top choice to star in the film. In actuality, his parents were supportive of his music career, he never had any substance abuse problems, he never had a relationship with Madonna and only spoke to her for about 45 seconds backstage in 1985, so their relationship with purely platonic, and Eat It came after Beat It, and not the other way around. The ending will also make you laugh, as you know that “Weird” Al is still around today, but he is the one artist that is famous, but doesn’t come around a lot, which is good for him, so he is one of the few artists who never went off the deep end. Also, just like how Chadwick Boseman was dubbed over when he performed James Brown’s songs in “Get On Up,” Daniel Radcliffe was also dubbed over by “Weird” Al Yankovic when his songs came on. Check this film out if you’re a fan of Yankovic, as I think you will have a great time laughing throughout the film.
Thank you for joining in on this review. Stay tuned
this Friday for the finale of “Animated Environmental Movie Month.”
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