Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (2022)
November 4, 2022 6:10 PM - Subscribe

Explores every facet of 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.
posted by bondcliff (33 comments total) 7 users marked this as a favorite
 
I enjoyed it. Not perfect, but It was about as good as I expected it to be. It seemed very much like a 90 minute Funny Or Die movie, which is basically what it was. Loved the cameos and the parodies. Surprisingly violent.
posted by bondcliff at 6:13 PM on November 4, 2022 [1 favorite]


Julianne Nicholson played Marilyn Monroe’s mom in Blonde, and I’m absolutely tickled that she’s playing Weird Al’s mom in this movie. Also the way they finally revealed the true story of the 80s that we all remember was brilliant. Somebody had to do it.
posted by wabbittwax at 6:53 PM on November 4, 2022 [1 favorite]


And Daniel Radcliffe is clearly game for ANYTHING and I love that for him.
posted by wabbittwax at 6:56 PM on November 4, 2022 [11 favorites]


Just finished this, and I loved it. Al is the best.
posted by DiscourseMarker at 7:59 PM on November 4, 2022 [1 favorite]


I have been looking forward to this for months, was pleased that I could just watch it for free, and in the end....I just...wasn't that into it? It's like Walk Hard: The Weird Al Version, which is of course the point, but I didn't like, laugh...I really appreciated the acting and that Daniel Radcliffe is having great fun. It wandered into fucked up territory, fine but I didn't super care...

Though as Weird Al himself says at the end, didn't expect THAT ending. That legitimately surprised me.

God, maybe I just don't like movies or something?
posted by jenfullmoon at 9:20 PM on November 4, 2022


Not quite as sharply pointed a genre parody as Walk Hard (like I don't see myself feeling a desire to rewatch this the way I have with Walk Hard), but I loved the sense that everyone involved was just having the time of their lives. The ending was incredible, though, and I loved how The Factory was just kind of a running gag.

Fun novelty, but not really a classic. ⁷⁄₁₀ I think.
posted by DoctorFedora at 10:35 PM on November 4, 2022 [1 favorite]


I enjoyed it. We’ve been on a bit of an odd biopic streak lately; Walk Hard a couple months ago, then I’m Not There, and now this.

I enjoyed this one well enough, although I think my favorite part was actually the over-credits song. “This song is technically eligible for Oscar consideration “. Ok then.

I was also kind of amazed that the funny or die skit ended up being followed pretty closely. Patton Oswald plays a different character, and there’s no Pablo Escobar, but otherwise.
posted by nat at 12:25 AM on November 5, 2022 [2 favorites]


oh yeah the credits song was definitely the best part
posted by DoctorFedora at 12:49 AM on November 5, 2022 [2 favorites]


The first half was super fun. Then the jokes slowed down and it seemed like they were trying to have an actual plot.
posted by Gary at 1:13 AM on November 5, 2022


Radcliff is great; is his chest hair real? It was a little strange to me that Radcliff's Al is a lot shorter than real like Al.

"We're, uhm, playing a little gig next week called 'Live Aid.' In Wembly Stadium. I'd be honoured if you would join the band and play that song on the stage with us. What do you say?"

"Hard pass."

posted by porpoise at 12:05 PM on November 5, 2022 [4 favorites]


I loved it. Daniel Radcliffe has been playing some amazing roles recently. Flipping things around so that Al wrote Eat It and then is mad that Michael Jackson parodied it was great.And as a Pete and Pete fan anything that has Toby Huss makes me smile. It wasn't perfect but whatever. I had a good time.
posted by downtohisturtles at 1:55 PM on November 5, 2022 [2 favorites]


I read that Patton Oswald was unable to play Dr Demento, because he broke his leg shortly before filming was set to start.

The sheer number of cameos (especially in the pool party scene) is impressive - apparently most were cast from Al's address book, and many others were interested but not available.

Unfortunately, despite Al's best efforts, the film will not be eligible for an Oscar.
posted by cheshyre at 5:07 PM on November 5, 2022 [1 favorite]


The soundtrack contains the 19 second version of Beat on the Brat from the movie. I was hoping for something longer because I really like the (sadly accordion-free) version he did for the Doctor Demento Covered in Punk album. (There's also a live version from his last tour.)
posted by Gary at 6:19 PM on November 5, 2022 [1 favorite]


The important thing to remember is everything in the movie is absolutely true.
posted by ckape at 7:31 PM on November 5, 2022 [2 favorites]


So Weird Al has been a zombie for the last few decades?
posted by jenfullmoon at 8:07 PM on November 5, 2022 [1 favorite]


That would explain how he stopped aging in 1985.
posted by Gary at 12:13 AM on November 6, 2022 [4 favorites]


You can really sense the sexual tension.
posted by ckape at 7:12 AM on November 6, 2022


Truly thought it was going to be revealed that the factory made accordions.
posted by subocoyne at 11:33 AM on November 6, 2022 [6 favorites]


I thought it was great. I suspect it will be like UHF in that it will be more appreciated after it has had time to marinate for a while, but on first viewing I liked it a lot more than I liked UHF the first time I saw that.
posted by wierdo at 11:47 AM on November 6, 2022 [1 favorite]


I absolutely loved this. I think my favorite part is his band, the way they're just there, as his roommates, all big buff guys who are like a chorus of confidence and supportive love.

Like the roommates in Zoolander, if they'd avoided, you know, their terrible fate.
posted by meese at 7:04 PM on November 6, 2022 [5 favorites]


It's kind of the perfect Weird Al biopic in that it's an over-the-top silly parody of the real thing that starts to drag a little about 2/3rds of the way in, but you stay with it because you never know when to expect a truly brilliant moment.

What a cast!! Great to see Emo again. Did NOT recognize Jonah Ray in all the punk getup.

I read that Patton Oswald was unable to play Dr Demento, because he broke his leg shortly before filming was set to start.

Interesting, because Rainn Wilson seems like the best possible casting.
posted by CheesesOfBrazil at 5:15 AM on November 7, 2022 [1 favorite]


Official lyric video for Now You Know, the closing credits theme song.
posted by bondcliff at 7:36 AM on November 7, 2022 [2 favorites]


This movie was everything I wanted it to be. It is just perfectly over the top. The nods to actual Weird Al history seemingly every minute were fun. So many cameos! The story was fun and kept moving. It was fun and a great use of my time all the way to the 'Carrie' ending.

But what do they make at that factory?
posted by Clinging to the Wreckage at 12:44 PM on November 7, 2022


This movie was a whole lot like one of Weird Al's original songs.
A little bizarre, a little meandering, maybe goes on a touch too long, but has enough moments to keep you engaged.

I enjoyed it, but I don't think I would watch it again.
posted by madajb at 1:01 PM on November 7, 2022


I thought the actress (Evan Rachel Wood) playing Madonna was spot-on.

The gum-chewing, the body language, the entire overall vibe was perfectly mid-80s Madonna.
posted by madajb at 1:04 PM on November 7, 2022 [5 favorites]


I thought the actress (Evan Rachel Wood) playing Madonna was spot-on.

Al was on, I think, 1-A this morning hyping the film, and he seriously praised Wood’s turn as Madonna. He also said that he really wished they had had her sing some Madonna songs in the film, because he heard her singing around the set and she was also spot-on with it.
posted by Thorzdad at 2:11 PM on November 7, 2022 [4 favorites]


It is odd that the movie completely glosses over all the time Al spent in Albuquerque, though.
posted by ckape at 5:40 PM on November 7, 2022 [7 favorites]


I read two separate negative reviews before seeing this, both of which clearly didn't get the humor, and I knew I was going to love it. I did. My wife gave me a seriously judgy look when I lipsynched to Amish Paradise, though. I'm pretty sure it's the least sexy I've been to her in a long time.
posted by biogeo at 7:03 PM on November 9, 2022 [2 favorites]


I found this fantastic. So many great cameos, so many explanations that a parody is new words put to the music of a song that already exists. Many hilarious moments. I loved the conversation about beat it. “Is it about eggs?” “No. I don’t even think it’s about food.”
posted by snofoam at 11:16 AM on November 11, 2022 [2 favorites]


But what do they make at that factory?

@alyankovic: They were making the stuff that goes in the suitcase in Pulp Fiction.

(Incomparable episode 640 pointed out that Al had answered that question)
posted by Gary at 2:36 PM on November 11, 2022 [2 favorites]


This was a perfect way to spend a Saturday evening. Minus the ads, of course, but, hey Roku Channel, and at least it's available to anybody to watch I guess. I would never have expected a biopic comedy to get close to being as good as Walk Hard, but it got close enough to be surprising. Toby Huss, as always, chef's kiss.
posted by General Malaise at 3:43 PM on November 13, 2022 [1 favorite]


Agreed! Much respect to Toby Huss - my initial exposure to him was 'Halt and Catch Fire, and ' G.L.O.W.,' - and then kept seeing him everywhere. His presence correlates well with worthwhile-ness.
posted by porpoise at 7:47 PM on November 13, 2022 [2 favorites]


Finally watched this, did not like it. Sorry to be a bummer. What struck me is how strange the comedy pacing was, how I just wasn't laughing. There's no real comedic tension in the script, no setup of jokes, no punchlines. There's lot so funny stuff, and some of it clever. I liked all the guests at the pool party! But the whole thing had this sort of elevated level of parody and humor but no ebb and flow. Come to think of it, Weird Al's songs are more or less like that too; they're sort of evenly funny all the way through. Fair enough.
posted by Nelson at 5:13 PM on December 28, 2022


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