Weird: The Al Yankovic Story
Weird: The Al Yankovic Story
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Weird: The Al Yankovic Story is a goofy comedy about the rise of parody musician "Weird Al" Yankovic. Presented as a biopic, almost nothing in the story is true, which means that the movie contains more sex and violence than Yankovic's actual mild history. There are shootouts with machine guns and bloody deaths, a character is maimed with a gold record, while another's face melts. Al makes out with his girlfriend Madonna and they're seen smoking in bed later. Characters drink beer in bars, and Al is briefly consumed by alcoholism. Al accidentally eats guacamole laced with LSD and goes on a hellish drug trip, and bricks of cocaine are shown at Pablo Escobar's hideout.
What's the Story?
A young Al Yankovic (Daniel Radcliffe) must keep his beloved accordion hidden from his disapproving parents (Julianne Nicholson and Toby Huss), until he's invited to a polka party, where his accordion skills are finally unleashed. From there, it's a quick rise to the top of the charts as the world's most popular parody musician, thanks to his mentor Dr. Demento (played by Rainn Wilson) and supportive bandmates. However, when the conniving Madonna (Evan Rachel Wood) enters the picture, Al's musical journey starts taking some twists. Will Madonna's bad influence change Al forever? Will drug lord Pablo Escobar's obsession with Al go too far? And most importantly, will Al's dad ever approve of his career?
Is It Any Good?
This cameo-packed, silliness-stacked movie plays to all the beats of a standard music biopic, with hilarious results. Weird: The Al Yankovic Story has it all: emotional standoffs with disapproving parents, a gravelly voiced narrator (courtesy of Diedrich Bader), and a debauched portrait of sex, drugs, and rock n' roll that the real Yankovic is absolutely not known for. Taking cues from The Doors, Bohemian Rhapsody, and even a hint of A Star Is Born, Weird flips the script on these ultra-serious music stories and delivers an utterly ridiculous fake chronicle of the notoriously well-behaved musician. Radcliffe earnestly plays Yankovic with a little twinkle in his eye, and everyone else seems to be having an equal amount of fun on screen (Wood shines as the villainous Madonna).
Yankovic fans will notice that there's a little bit of truth in the film, including radio DJ Dr. Demento's influence on Al, and his first song being recorded in a bathroom. They'll also be happy to see a number of his classic songs performed in the movie, including "Another One Rides the Bus" and "Like a Surgeon." Like many real biopics, this one sags a bit in the middle, but overall it's a relentlessly absurd (dare we say weird) treat of a movie.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the format of this movie. Why do you think they chose to parody traditional music biographies?
How do Al's bandmates help him when he's down? Why is teamwork an important character strength?
If you could write a song parody, what would it be?
What do you think about the use of fat suits in movies, especially for comic purposes?
TV Details
- Premiere date: November 4, 2022
- Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Evan Rachel Wood, Rainn Wilson
- Network: Roku Channel
- Genre: Comedy
- TV rating: TV-14
- Last updated: January 17, 2023
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