Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story

A comedy directed by Jack Kasdan (The Zero Effect) and written by Kasdan and Judd Apatow (Knocked Up) has a lot to live up to. Maybe that's an unfair expectation to put on a well intentioned film, but it is what it is. Dewey Cox (John C. Reilly) is more or less a knock off of Johnny Cash with Darlene (Jenna Fischer) his June Carter. Most of the film is a direct spoof of the Cash biopic Walk the Line with a few added changes later in the story. Such as when Cox tries to revive his career as a protest singer ala Bobby Darin in Beyond the Sea. The film sticks with straight up spoof for most with very few gags requiring a set up. The songs were all composed by the writers (and some friends) with only one of them really working in "Let's Duet".

If it sounds like I'm not that excited about the film then you get my point. There are plenty of laugh out loud moments scattered throughout the film... it is just that there is so much dead space between them. The ending doesn't quite work that well either. Kasdan can do satire well as in his remarkable skewing of the television industry The TV Set. Unfortunately, Walk Hard falls squarely in the assine genre of Talladega Nights and Semi-Pro. Props do have to go to star John C. Reilly who keeps the whole thing from sinking. Having an actor who can do all his own singing ensures you are taken out of the story by bad lip-syncing (Streets of Fire hello?). I can only give this a modest recommendation.

60/100

Superbad

We shall keep this short. Superbad tells the tale of two high school "dorks" who are enlisted with providing alcohol to the graduation party of a cute gal (Emma Stone who is suspiciously a lot like Lindsay Lohan) one of them likes. Seth (Jonah Hill)tells the gal that thanks to their fake id it shouldn't be a problem. Oh but wait it is... the fellow with the ID is McLovin (Christopher Mintz-Plasse)... or at least that is what the ID says. Evan (Michael Cera) is just going along with Seth because he thinks he can perhaps hook up with his dream girl Becca.

That's it for the plot. Just sit back and enjoy a sporadicly hilarious film with excellent supporting turns from the entire Apatow (who produced)gang. The film divides into two stories. One with Seth and Evan and the other is the best with Bill Hader and Seth Rogen(who coscripted) as the slapstick cops who befriend McLovin. The cockblock scene between the trio is just one of many highlights.

The laughs are spread out and a bit to the raunchy side, but nothing too bad. Jonah Hill is the glue that keeps the story together and that is evidenced by some funny outtakes included on the DVD. The chemistry the cast all have together makes it a pleasant two hour journey to secure beer and perhaps women.

80/100