Brought to life by funny man John C. Reilly, the character of Dewford Randolph Cox is a truly American legend, and Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story is a wild and crazy film that takes a bite out of every musical bio-pic in existence.
Cox comes of age in the 1950’s, and after accidentally cutting his brother in half with a machete, sets out on a quest to become a great musician. He marries his 12-year old girlfriend, hits the big-time with the song ‘Walk Hard’, and proceeds to enjoy the trappings of fame – including a new house, a monkey and a giraffe, and waves of groupies. As he experiments with drugs and moves through life, his music changes accordingly. Wizened music fans will instantly recognize the artists being spoofed, from Johnny Cash (tough, Mariachi-flavored rock & roll) to Bob Dylan (nonsensical, “deep” folk) to Brian Wilson (symphonic, LSD-fueled Pop, featuring goats) to The Partridge Family (20 kids singing on a bus) and beyond.
Cox meditates with The Beatles in India, re-arranges hotel rooms like Keith Moon, takes PCP and rampages through city streets in his underpants, and sires 36 kids. Imparting some hard won wisdom to one of his grandchildren late in the film, he concludes “And that’s when I learned that quaaludes and water skiing don’t mix.” Words we can all live by.
The film includes a number of surprising cameos – Jack White as a surreal, mumbling, karate-chopping Elvis Presley, Jack Black as an impish Paul McCartney, and Eddie Vedder, Jackson Browne, Lyle Lovett, Ghostface Killah, and The Temptations as themselves. Walk Hard is alternately very funny and very silly, and well worth the 96 minute investment.
The press kit for this movie included 12 mock album covers (samples pictured above and below) that are as inspired, hilarious and detail-oriented as the movie itself.
Listen: Guilty As Charged [John C. Reilly]
Listen: Let’s Duet [John C. Reilly & Angela Correa]
Listen: Have You Heard The News (Dewey Cox Died) [John C. Reilly]
Tags: Dewey Cox, Eddie Vedder, Ghostface Killah, Jack Black, Jack White, Jackson Browne, John C. Reilly, Lyle Lovett, The Temptations, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story
19 January 2009 at 11:18 am |
Have you reviewed music dvds? Not spoofs like Spinal Tap or Dewey Cox but music dvds (e.g, Running Down the Dream, Shine a Light, Black Crowes at the Fillmore, etc). If not, how ’bout gettin’ on that, dk:).
20 January 2009 at 8:42 pm |
Thanks for the comment Jo. I haven’t done a concert DVD roundup, but that’s a great suggestion. I’ll put it on my list of drafts and get to work on it…