by Shane Conto, Staff Writer
What would be the best way to honor the life and career of “Weird Al” Yankovic? There are plenty of biopics out there that are beloved and acclaimed to draw on. There are modern classics in the realm of music biopics like Ray and Walk the Line. There are films that capture just a moment (or moments) in time, like Steve Jobs. Things can be portrayed in a more speculative way like Amadeus and Elvis, which are told through other characters who might not be the most reliable. Oddly enough (and in a move that makes PERFECT sense), Weird: The Al Yankovic Story honestly feels more like Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story.
What is the story that we get in this film “about” Yankovic? Well… it isn’t the actual life of “Weird Al”! He was a young man with loving and supportive parents. We get an abusive and angry father who runs his son off. Yankovic’s career has been quite niche for most of his career. We get a superstar rising to be the biggest thing in music. Relationships with Madonna, drug lords, and the most cameo filled pool park in film, and you get one of the strangest and silliest films you will see all year. That might even be an understatement. This might be one of the weirdest films you have seen, period. As the credits roll, we are treated to a brand-new meta-comedy piece from Yankovic, as we are left to wonder, “What the hell did I just watch?”
What kind of tone and feeling is director Eric Appel swirling with Weird? Silly… just plain silly. I think this is the most absurd film I have seen all year. Nothing is taken too seriously, even when Appel and his cast are offering up some solid emotion. Every character overreacts. Every actor overacts. This satire of a beloved but tired drama is able to deliver plenty of fun, even if the look at Yankovic’s life is second fiddle to the laughs and craziness along the way. Appel was certainly ready to achieve this with his background on shows like Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Silicon Valley.
Who could possibly channel the irreverent uniqueness of “Weird Al”? Harry Potter, of course! Daniel Radcliffe will always be remembered for his time as the young wizard, but we have learned quickly that he is quite the acting talent. Swiss Army Man and Imperium have both reinforced that. But Radcliffe’s work on Miracle Workers has shown his impressive comedic work, and that is on full display in Weird. His decisions as an actor are inspired whether they are intense little whispers or big and bold physical choices while performing his music. He might not be doing the singing, but he is lip-syncing like a professional.
How about the rest of the cast? We are first introduced to Al’s parents and Toby Huss is a loose cannon of an abusive and fiery father. Heck, he even beats an accordion salesman half to death. Julianne Nicholson delivers a strong performance as a faux supportive mother who is ready to emotionally destroy her son at any moment. Rainn Wilson is having a blast as the mentor and manager of the “weird” one. I am not sure I have ever seen Evan Rachel Wood having as much fun as she is in Weird.Her performance is charming, magnetic, and plenty of fun. But the number of cameos in this film will make any other film blush. There are so many fun and enjoyable performances… and I will spoil none of them.
Is this new “biopic” as crazy and ridiculous as you might hope? I can guarantee it is even more than you imagined. “Weird Al” takes an interesting approach of lampooning the whole “based on a true story” genre with this 100% non-factual account of his life. But besides that… this is one of the funniest movies of the year, and quite the crazy ride.
Score: 8/10
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