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Another spy chimes in on WALK HARD, calling it the best parody movie since AIRPLANE and SPINAL TAP!!
Ahoy, squirts! Quint here. The newest from Apatow's group, directed by Jake Kasdan, has been getting good word from the early screenings and the following review is the type that raises the hype-o-meter a few notches. It's not so much the comparisons to AIRPLANE and SPINAL TAP, but it's the general mention of the film growing from good to great upon a few days' reflection. That's how I was with some of my favorite comedies, like BIG LEBOWSKI. It's also been so long since we've had a spoof flick that has been any good that I'm just ready for one to tickle the old funny bone. Anyway, here's the review! Enjoy it!
Hey there Quint - I envy those who get into really early screenings, post reviews and get to have their pen names judged by one of the cheekier sets on the web. So when I got into a Walk Hard screening last week I figured I'd try and take my turn. So here are some initial impressions about a movie that I think furthers the notion that Apatow has the golden touch -
I was definitely pleased with the movie upon leaving the theater, but after a few daysto stew on it, I'm leaning towards calling it great. It's one of those movies where the laughs are packed tight enough that you're recalling some of the best stuff the day after. And the obscure stuff may end up being as good or better than the trailer-made scenes. For instance, the Beatles scene has a good chance to be the calling card of this movie - the one scene with Jack Black, Rudd, Justin Long and Schwartzman playing McCartney, Lennon, Harrison and Ringo - but I think a lot of John C. Reilly's zany conversational lines will be the most quoted.
That seems like a pretty good litmus test for a great comedy - funny enough where you don't have a good handle on the scope of the humor after the first viewing. I have a feeling the movies that this will be most compared to (other than to state that it's far and away superior to recent parody efforts) are Airplane and Spinal Tap. After seeing it once, I'm not going to say Walk Hard is on the level with movies that have withstood the test of time like that, but Apatow and his fellow filmmakers clearly put in the effort to squeeze every once of funny out of the cast and this movie. The result is a parody film geeks will appreciate, which I don't think we've had in a while.
I don't have the attention span to critique each aspect of the movie, but I think the cast is notable because they come from all over the place and pretty much everybody scored laughs. Ed Helms, Jack White, Harold Remis each had their moments. I think other than John C. Reilly, Tim Meadow's performance as Dewey Cox's drummer will get the most attention. I have to think he's going to gain a lot from this movie. Probably 5 of the 20 funniest lines in the movie are his, and I don't think I'm going out on a limb with my opinion there. I liked him as an SNL guy, but this was another level.
But yeah, the bottom line is that if you're here, you'll probably like it, even though it's a new angle for Apatow and friends. If you're pick for the funniest movie of all time is Mrs. Doubtfire (read: my mom), than you probably won't like this as much as I did. But if you're on the standard comedy tip - Superbad, Naked Gun, Airplane, etc. - this is another one in the wheelhouse.
If you use this review, call me DownAtDinos, because a Thin-Lizzy inspired moniker seems safe enough.
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...he's been aces in other peoples starring vehicles forever. He definitley deserves to be a comedy star in his own right, rather than just Will Ferrell's (or whoever) sidekick.
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I love most of the actors in this movie but the preview looks AWFUL! It looks no better than any of the Scary Movies or The Comebacks or Epic Movie or any of the other modern parody movies. The parody movie genre developed a terminal illness with Loaded Weapon 1 and died with Naked Gun 33 1/3.
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i hope this movie does well. and it will. i'm really stoked for all the christmas release movies once again. it's because they all differ from the messy 4th of july flicks, they have different spirit and you don't give a shit whether they will be good or not.
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Nice to have your opinion, but how about letting me in on the plot first?
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during the 1970's at least. JAILBREAK !
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Sorry, gotta say it. This movie looks great and John C Reilly is great and all that but this review reeks of clorophyl and potting soil.
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My guess is the life of Johnny Cash with laughs. That will also be your guess, if you watch the trailer. And make note of the title's not-so-subtle reference.
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If you're giving a movie review, give a review. Keep out the spoilers if you want, but give a review. From your "review" alone I have no idea what this movie is about. One would assume from the title it is a parody of Walking Tall/Die Hard movies. Until I get more info I'll stick with Top Secret and I'm Gonna Git You Sucka.
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No other movie parody should even be mentioned in the same sentence as Spinal Tap. Spinal Tap is on an island of its own! It is comedic perfection. Now lets all crank it up to 11.
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I def go see this one from all the positive things I have read. It'll be interesting to see if John C. Reilly can pull of a lead. Fingers crossed
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just because one overused phrase deserves another
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Oct 18, 2007 12:17:53 PM CDT
p.s: john c. reilly is great and airplane! is the best fucking p
by jig98
there i said it.
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Oct 18, 2007 12:29:34 PM CDT
I'M THE KING, and two....HYAH! LOOK OUT MAN, I COULD CHOP A MAN
by ryanmurray
Granted, it's no "Night Man / Day Man" but it looks absolutely hilarious.
Champion of the sun! Master of Karate! -
And the parody train continues with SUPERHERO! from Craig "The Specials" Mazin! Anyone excited?
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Blasphemy!
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maybe not on opening night but i'll check it out
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Those are two of the funniest movies of all time. Wrongfully accused made no sense. Fucking physical pain because of laughter. The hydaulic car, the irrelevant ice cream, the usual suspects scene. And Hot Shots is just classic.
"You crashed a 14 million dollar fighter jet""Yes, I took out a special savings loan, i'm paying it off 10 dollars a week" -
'Cause I can't remember much about it.How about The Villian, starring Arnold Schwarzenneger and Kirk Douglas? That is IMHO one of the worst parodies ever, they actually have a character named Parody in it.
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It's going to blow past Talladega Nights and Anchorman. From the trailers and the reviews so far , I will bethere opening night. Best trailer line " Nothing wrong could happen today, lets go play machete fights" priceless.
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Walk the Line was a great movie and not a genre of flicks. I don't see why one movie in particular got singled out for parody.
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I have heard several of the songs written for this and they are really good, not unlike the music in That Thing You Do. In fact, I think some of the same music people are involved in this too. By the way, I have always thought That Thing You Do was underrated.
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call me simple, but I found it to be one of the more intelligent spoofs, and easily the best so far this millenium. watching it the tenth time through i'm *still* finding more jokes subtly placed in the background.
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One of the funniest films ever made you BASTARDS!
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It hasn't been THAT long since we had a good parody movie.
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"Things change...people change...hairstyles change...interest rates fluctuate..."
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It is FUCKING AWESOME. The trailer sucks balls and doesn't do it justice at all. I laughed my ass off for most of the movie. The only problems with the cut I saw were that the film was a tad to long and got a little bogged down toward the end. Also, there are a few too many cox/cocks jokes and those stop being funny pretty fast. Other than that - funny asl hell. I agree that this is a parody on the level of all the old Zucker, Abrahms, Zucker movies... or nearly so.
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We'll just have to wait and see about this new film.
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It was more of a satire but not parody in the naked gun vein.
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there are movies that bore me but ones that outright frustrate me as if it actually physically hurts, never experienced till epic movie, not just the worst parody movie ever but the worst.
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I know nothing about this film, but might go see it based on some of your comments. I doubt it could top the great mockumentary, This is Spinal Tap. And, Airplane? That would be hard to do. Totally digging the fact that people are showing appreciation for Top Secret. I'm not trying to say it's a classic like Duck Soup, but it holds a special place in the parody genre. Some other comedy gems I would get behind...Life of Brian, Holy Grail, Young Frankenstein, Blazing Saddles. Those for sure. Other honorable mentions...History of the World PT.I(I liked it a lot more than most critics), Top Secret, Airplane II, Naked Gun, I'm Gonna Git You Sucka, Undercover Brother, Spaceballs(only for Rick Moranis, a few Candy/Pullman moments, Mel B., and select sci-fi spoofing scenes). I'm sure I'm forgetting a few others, but those are some of mine. Of course, there are some great Marx Bros films, as well. Totally agree about the later spoof movies of the 90's and 2000's. Hard to find anything that measures up to the older movies. That may be my late 30's bias, however.
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coz of a little word they dont know called 'subtlety'. (god i hope i spelt that right). The worst thing is the movies act like they think they are funny, and we all know and hate someone just like that. i just feel insulted on the off chance i catch these films.
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UHF! "Supplies!"
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could be a killer double-feature. Or it could mean the death of the spoof film industry as we know it. And I'm thinking that would be a good thing considering how bad they've gotten. I don't need to see these movies, I've seen the trailers and that's painful enough.
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Not only has Down-at-Dinos done a disservice to one of the best rock bands to grace the face of this earth (Thin Lizzy is two words, no need to hyphenate there), you've written a horribly shallow and suspicious review. Good day, sir!
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Come on people....this will be a good laugh and lets face it...what else do we have to use as a measuring stick for giggles...Pus Hour 3? We are, to quote Sir John Gielgud in Arthur "Spoilt little shits"
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Because he used big words and stuff.
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Oct 19, 2007 3:43:11 PM CDT
I know nothing of this film and see no reason to find out, but..
by stalin vs predator
...but I believe that if you really want to reach modern Hollywood's target audience, you need to advertise your "comedy" more or less thusly: "totally loled @ that movie walk hard 2day. its almost s kewl s scary movie 3. it made lol liek so hard lol. xoxoxoxo." - correct me if I'm wrong (perhaps more words need to be misspelled?)
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Oct 19, 2007 3:47:16 PM CDT
By the way, as far as musical pseudodocumentary parodies are con
by stalin vs predator
..."Fear of a Black Hat" was not bad at all. I know little of rap but I guess the movie pretty much managed to be rap's equivalent of "Spinal Tap".
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or whatever the hell it's called. When I first read about The Comebacks I figured it would be more like a Will Ferrell/Frat pack movie with some of the other Apatow regulars popping up and crazy David Koechner as the coach. but it's something awful
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