Weird: The Al Yankovic Story tells a glorious tale of unparalleled greatness. How one man conquered the music world... in a very specific category, battled a ruthless fan turned Colombian drug lord, and lustily romanced a conniving pop star seductress. You might have heard of Madonna. Insert sidesplitting laughter to tears here. "Weird Al" Yankovic and director/co-writer Eric Appel satirize biopics with deft aplomb. They take their 2010 Funny or Die parody trailer and beef it up to a hilarious feature film. Sure, Weird Al's rise to improbable success and stardom is interesting. But why not slightly exaggerate the accordion-playing shenanigans with a spicy edit.
Young Al (David Bloom) bristles under the stern parenting of Nick (Toby Huss) and Mary (Julianne Nicholson) Yankovic. Factory work is the American dream. You may lose a hand, but it's good, honest labor. Stop listening to the foolish Dr. Demento (Rainn Wilson) on the radio. A chance visit by an accordion salesman (Thomas Lennon), who pays a comically severe price, changes Al's fortune. His mother secretly buys him the instrument.
Teenage Al (Daniel Radcliffe) rebels against his parents and goes to a wild party. He drips with nervous sweat as an accordion is thrust before him in a bold challenge. Little do they know the beast that has been sprung. Al shreds the accordion but reveals another hidden talent. He's been taking popular songs, and like a fearless rebel, dared to re-write the lyrics.
Al and his friends hit the local motorcycle bar scene. They get the attention of Al's childhood idol. Dr. Demento senses a star is born. The Scotti Brothers (Will Forte, Al Yankovic) dismiss the newly coined Weird Al as a talentless hack. Who would listen to famous songs with stupid lyrics? They watch stupefied as Weird Al becomes a worldwide celebrity. Madonna (Evan Rachel Wood) must have his raging manhood. Columbian cocaine kingpin Pablo Escobar will stop at nothing to meet him. Weird Al channels his enormous talent and ego to brave the dastardly forces against him.
Weird: The Al Yankovic Story is the Funniest Film of the Year
Weird: The Al Yankovic Story is easily the funniest film I've seen this year. It goes full-throttle in every outrageous scene. A chiseled, perm-wigged Radcliffe anchors the lunacy with a straight face. His serious countenance makes every gag that much funnier. A stream of famous comedians join the fun by mocking eighties greats. Jack Black will have you in stitches as the legendary, raspy-throated DJ Wolfman Jack. Wood's Madonna impersonation steals the show. She nails the pop icon's visage and mannerisms in her early career. Wood's turn as a vixen villain enthralled by Weird Al is absolutely brilliant.
Weird: The Al Yankovic Story appeals to audiences over a certain age. I grew up in the eighties listening to Weird Al's music. The satirical humor might be lost on millennials and Gen Z. A young female writer in my screening had no idea who Pablo Escobar was. She'd also never heard of Wolfman Jack and didn't understand several of the cameos. That's not a negative for the film but an honest truth. She did laugh quite a bit regardless. You don't need to recognize every character to enjoy.
We get just enough slivers of truth to learn Weird Al's real story. He doesn't take his stardom seriously, but has earned every accolade and platinum record. His humor and talent continues to be appreciated forty years after strapping on the accordion. Weird Al is undoubtedly the best musician... in a very specific category, an asterisk the film always reminds.
Weird: The Al Yankovic Story is a production of Funny or Die and Tango. It will have a November 4th streaming premiere exclusively on The Roku Channel.