Plot: What’s it about?
If you grew up in the 80’s, odds are that along with names like Michael Jackson and Madonna, you’d have heard the name “Weird Al” Yankovic. He made a name for himself by parodying popular songs and videos of the time and filled a niche that no one really knew existed. Flash forward nearly four decades and he’s still at it. That’s talent. And back in the late 80’s he starred in his own film, UHF, one that I watch about once a year. It’s hilarious. And now Yankovic, along with Director/Producer Eric Appel have written a biopic of sorts that gives us some of the backstory and how Al Yankovic became “Weird Al” Yankovic. Sort of. This isn’t some sort of origin story and we’re not expected to take at face value. So, no, “Weird Al” didn’t assassinate Pablo Escobar, though he did have a thing with Madonna. Actually, you know what, it’s not important. Movies like this you just sit back and enjoy the ride. Let’s rock and/or roll.
Al Yankovic (Daniel Radcliffe) has always had trouble fitting in. He’s expected to work at a factory like his father (Toby Huss) but all Al wants to do is make music. Al soon discovers that he can parody popular songs and becomes and overnight sensation with a little help from Dr. Demento (Rainn Wilson). He skyrockets to stardom hanging out with the likes of Oprah and Madonna (Evan Rachel Wood), someone who’s after him to help further her own musical career. Along the way we see the ups and downs of his fame and stardom as he mingles with celebrities ranging from Wolfman Jack (Jack Black) to Pee Wee Herman (Jorma Taccone) to Andy Warhol (Conan O’Brien). The world is his oyster. Granted, the real “Weird Al” didn’t exhibit some of the traits portrayed here: he rarely drank, never did drugs, wasn’t a ladies man, etc. This is all done as a parody of a parody and, well, it works.
The two closest films I can think to compare this to are Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story and Yankovic’s own UHF. If either of those tickle your fancy, then you’ll enjoy the 108 minute film in all its glory. We’ve got enough star power for a trilogy, though I doubt we’ll see another installment anytime soon. With the rise in musical biopics like Rocketman, Bohemian Rhapsody and Respect, it was fitting that “Weird Al” would come out with one of his own and, wouldn’t you know it, it’s the best of the bunch. This review is all over the place, but then again so too is the film. If slapstick humor is up your alley and/or you’re just a fan of “Weird Al’s” sense of humor – this is for you. Of note, this was made for Roku TV, so it doesn’t have an official MPAA rating. What we’ve got is TV-14. Not a huge deal, but despite a few scenes, the littler ones can watch it.
Video: How’s it look?
I didn’t go into this thinking I’d find a reference-quality transfer. Yeah, I knew it was a 4K disc but I was more drawn to the content as opposed to what it could look like. I have to say that I was instantly smitten with this perfect transfer on the 4K disc, though. Yeah, I was surprised to and I really don’t know why. I also find it odd that we see a lot of Daniel Radcliffe shirtless with a ripped physique and chest hair (bearing in mind we all watched this kid grow up as Harry Potter). That aside, it’s a stunning transfer. The 2.39:1 HEVC 4K image has no faults. Can we see each and every curl in “Weird Al’s” hair? Probably. I didn’t count. Colors are bold and bright, contrast is strong and the film has a very thematic quality to it. In short, this might not be the kind of movie that you’d expect would deliver these kind of results, but it does and I’m thankful for it.
Audio: How’s it sound?
The film sports a Dolby Atmos track that isn’t quite bad (not that many, if any, Atmos tracks are). Radcliffe lip synced the songs, but they sound pretty darn good when coming out of each and every speaker. Have I really waited 35 years to hear “Eat It” or “Like a Surgeon” in their full atmospheric glory? It seems like the kind of thing I’d do. Kidding aside, we get more than our fair share of songs which sound great. Vocals are pure and crisp and surrounds are used surprisingly well. And yes, we’ve even got a scene with gunfire if you can believe that. It might be a little more tame than some other titles out there, but looking at it for what it is – this rocks.
Supplements: What are the extras?
Disc One (4K)
- Audio Commentary – Oddly, this has to be selected from the Setup menu, but it’s a blast to listen to as Director/Writer/Producer Eric Appel and “Weird Al” Yankovic seem to have as much fun on this track as they did making the film. There are plenty of self-deprecating comments, laughs and information about the shoot, casting and the legacy of the project. Any fan of the film will want to give this a listen.
Disc Two (Blu-ray)
- Audio Commentary – Same as above and in the same location (Setup menu).
- Deleted/Extended/Alternate Scenes – Director Eric Appel and “Weird” Al Yankovic start us off with an introduction explaining why some of these were cut, budget constraints and so forth. Though they’re not individually named, both Appel and Yankovic do offer some explanation as to why these were trimmed (or deleted) which I found helpful. And it’s a lot easier to watch these in a more linear fashion as opposed to jumping to the top menu and selecting a deleted scene that lasts 4 seconds.
- The Making of Weird – Once I saw the running time of 3:57 I figured what we were in for – and it turned out to be true. It’s the essential “glorified trailer” with a smattering of scenes from the film inter-spliced with some commentary by Appel and Radcliffe. It’s not bad, just that not that informative.
- Late Night with Seth Myers Interview – Myers interviews “Weird Al” Yankovic and star Daniel Radcliffe in which the duo discusses their collaboration on the project, some of the troubles and excitement while making it and, well, everything in between.
- IMDb.com “A Plethora of Cameos” – Gina Ippolito, an IMDb correspondent, interviews Director/Writer/Producer Eric Appel as well as stars Rainn Wilson and “Weird Al” Yankovic. In particular, they discuss the pool party scene which, they admit, is taken from the scene in Boogie Nights in which Dirk Diggler (Mark Wahlberg) meets the various “talent” in the adult film industry. I prefer this version.
- Variety.com Interview – Daniel Radcliffe, Evan Rachel Wood and Eric Appel are interviewed at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). Wood recounts playing Madonna and how she was “treated” like Madonna while Radcliffe tells about playing Yankovic but without the stress of having to actually sing. Assuming you’ve watched the above segments, Appel’s comments are a bit redundant.
- TheWrap.com Interview – “Weird Al” Yankovic and Director Eric Appel discuss the genesis of the film (it originally started as a Funny or Die segment) and having seen the accolades (and inaccuracies) for Bohemian Rhapsody, they figured it “was time” to turn this into a film.
- Lyric Video – This isn’t false advertising. It’s an actual video with lyrics to the song “Now You Know” complete with a Hawaiian shirt background. Nice.
- Movie Promos – “Weird Al” Yankovic tells us how and where to find the movie for free (on the Roku app or website). But he does it in his own special way, which I appreciated.
- Theatrical Trailer and Teaser Trailer – Pretty self-explanatory.
The Bottom Line
If you’re a fan of “Weird Al” Yankovic or offbeat humor, this is for you. I had no idea what to expect going in other than scratching my head at the casting of Daniel Radcliffe as “Weird Al” Yankovic. As it turns out, it worked. A biopic it’s not (we pick up on this very early on), but for those that want to be entertained, this fits the bill. The 4K disc offers exceptional audio and video quality along with enough extras to warrant a purchase (though, disappointingly, most are located on the Blu-ray disc).
