Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (2022)

Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (2022)

A joyously offbeat movie befitting the musician it celebrates

6.9

Movie

United States of America
English, Spanish
Comedy, Crime, Drama, Music
2022
ERIC APPEL
'Weird Al' Yankovic, Akiva Schaffer, Andrew Steven Hernandez
108 min

What it's about

Exploring every facet of ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic’s life, from his meteoric rise to fame with early hits like ‘Eat It’ and ‘Like a Surgeon’ to his torrid celebrity love affairs and famously depraved lifestyle, this biopic takes audiences on a truly unbelievable journey through Yankovic’s life and career, from gifted child prodigy to the greatest musical legend of all time.

The take

Weird: The Al Yankovic Story is a parody of a parody, a multilayered confection of silliness that befits the musician it celebrates. It's the origin story of Weird Al Yankovic (Daniel Radcliffe) but with the surreal and satirical levels cranked up to a hundred. It's easy to get lost then, in the movie's freewheeling giddiness, but Radcliffe has a way of grounding the ultra-heightened comedy with his conviction and charm. The movie also doubles as a who's who in the 1980s music and comedy scene, and the unlikely pairings it brings together keep you entertained and nostalgic for a simpler, weirder time. 

Comments

Add a comment

UP NEXT 

UP NEXT 

UP NEXT 

The Guilty (2018)

A minimalist, razor-sharp thriller that will have you gasping for air.

9.0

Problemista (2024)

Dark, weird, poignant, and funny, this debut feature by Los Espookys star Julio Torres is a modern parable of the American Dream

8.6

Falling in Love Like in Movies (2023)

A contemplative Indonesian romance film that rewrites and re-examines the genre’s conventions

8.4

Leave the World Behind (2023)

Shyamalan meets Black Mirror in this hugely entertaining, visually inventive apocalyptic thriller with a killer ending

8.2

River (2023)

A delightful and ultimately life-affirming Japanese time loop comedy clearly made with love

8.8

Wind River (2017)

Sicario's screenwriter directs this story of murder in an Indigenous reserve

9.4

City Hunter (2024)

Cool graphics and choreography can’t save this live-action adaptation’s hackneyed story and misogynistic humor

6.7

Spermworld (2024)

People take family planning into their own hands in this fascinating look into sperm donation online

7.3

The Farewell (2019)

Awkwafina shines in this complex culture clash comedy.

9.1

Burning (2018)

The Complex South-Korean Award-Sweeper

7.7

Curated by humans, not algorithms.

agmtw logo

© 2024 agoodmovietowatch, all rights reserved.