Weird Al Yankovic is a weird guy. He plays the accordion, he makes parody songs, and he’s become a gigantic celebrity doing so. So if you’re gonna make a biopic about him, you gotta go real weird with it.
Weird is weird. But in a very good way. pic.twitter.com/1MAujn2N64
— James Mackin @ TIFF22 (@JamesMackin10) September 9, 2022
Part of the Midnight Madness program this year, Weird: The Al Yankovic Story plays like a oddity of a music biopic. It hits several of the classic tropes (tense relationship with parents, alcohol/drugs fueling trouble with band and friends). But where it truly excels is in the parodying of this formula, which of course makes sense given its subject.
Daniel Radcliffe (from the Harry Potter franchise) dons a fake mustache and curls to play the accordionist and parody musician, and he truly excels in this role. Becoming famous from childhood playing a role beloved to many, seeing his career take these weird turns is a true joy for any cinephiles out there. His performances are pushing limits he’d never have the opportunity to have done in the Potterverse.
As Yankovic, he plays a man whose greatest desire is to perform music others wrote, but with the lyrics changed to something funnier. He throws himself into the role, even showing off his muscles for several parts (and he’s real muscly). Radcliffe gets to try on a lot of hats here, from performing music, to having a standoff with several famous weird people, to even being an action hero. This is a film that excels in making fun of the music biopic, by having its hero be the main character in a music biopic AND several other genres.
This film is also a love letter for any fans of Funny or Die. It’s co-produced by the studio, and based partially on a short that director Eric Appel (who also co-wrote this film with Yankovic himself) made over a decade ago (fun fact, Aaron Paul played Weird Al here). There are numerous cameos that won’t be spoiled in this review, but many people who’ve frequently appeared in Funny or Die skits are here giving their all.
Some of the supporting performances here deserve praise too, especially Evan Rachel Wood (from Westworld) as Madonna. She knows her role and plays it remarkably well, making an excellent foil to Radcliffe’s Yankovic. Her performance may surprise many who know a lot about her. Let’s just say she really gets into the parody groove.
Weird: The Al Yankovic Story is a film made for people who have seen a lot of music biopics. It follows the tropes in a subversive manner, playing them out like a funny parody. What would be more fitting for the most famous parody musician of all time? You can watch this film exclusively on the Roku channel when it premieres in November!
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