Weird: The Al Yankovic Story: An Opus to Weird

Let’s get something straight here: Weird Al Yankovic is nothing short of an American Treasure. A meticulously neutral, yet constant celebrity presence since 1979, The man has made a 40-year career out of genuine, goofy fun for all ages. Though he did not invent the musical parody, he pioneered it, almost single-handedly carving out a new genre of comedy and music . His eye for one-liners and lyrics that skate the line between corny and classic is unmatched, and I was genuinely interested in seeing a dramaticized version of his story. If that is what you’re looking for as well, Weird: The Al Yankovic Story is not the film for you. If you’re looking to see Yankovic’s particular brand of humor stretched out into a full length film, then take a seat on the couch.

I will admit, I didn’t follow a lot of the storyline concerning the making of this film. It was on my radar, but just on the edge of it; I figured I’d get around to watching it whenever. I had heard a few key details, though: It would be streaming for free on the Roku channel, it was supposedly a biopic of Weird Al’s life, and Daniel Radcliffe was cast to portray the accordion-playing superstar. With the recent spate of musical celebrities having their stories told on the big screen, and with Weird Al cresting slowly into his golden-ish years, a movie about his life seemed fairly par for the course. The casting was a bit of a sticking point, though. Daniel Radcliffe looked nothing like Mr. Yankovic. What was the deal with that? Since it was released, the promo poster has been scrolling past my Roku stick screensaver, and I finally thought ‘what the hell, let’s watch this thing.’ What followed was one of the silliest movies I’ve seen in a long time– in a good way. Fair warning, there are minor spoilers ahead.

Production-wise, Weird: The Al Yankovic Story is played straight and dressed up with dramatic music and somber lighting. The film opens in a frenzied scene of Radcliffe’s Weird Al being rushed into a hospital operating room, apparently DOA. The doctor (Who happens to be Lin Manuel Miranda) tries desperately to save him, but alas gives up, preparing to call time of death. Suddenly, Al shoots up, screaming as the screen freezes and a deep, charismatic narrator claiming to be Weird Al (it’s definitely not) takes us by the ear to lead us back to the beginning.

A goofy, sometimes biting satire of the modern musical biopic craze, The Al Yankovic Story pulls no punches in poking fun at films like Rocket Man and Bohemian Rhapsody. Purposely over-dramaticized, the film is riddled with ridiculous sight gags and punchlines baked into stereotypically heartfelt scenes. The film tells a fictional version of Al’s life, beginning with his discovery of the accordion as a young boy and his father’s bombastic disapproval of his son’s new hobby. Determined to prove his parents wrong, Al strikes out on his own, determined to become a star.

The Al Yankovic Story extrapolates Weird Al’s style of parody onto an entirely new medium, tackling films about musicians instead of music itself. It mercilessly ribs the overly emotional tone that this genre of film has become prone to, not shying from cheesy, groan-inducing punchlines and sight gags amidst moments such as a father and son reuniting. The mood almost emulates the films of Mel Brooks, though not as sharp-witted, and that’s okay. Low-hanging fruit and cheap slapstick is the point of this film, and the jokes rarely miss.

Though the nearly two hour runtime seems a little unnecessary, Daniel Radcliffe dressed up with a perm and fake mustache is impossible not to laugh at. He truly embodies the role, and the rest of the cast is filled out wonderfully by a cadre of comedians dressed up as 1970s-80s celebrities. One could make a drinking game pointing out the cameos alone (Including an absolutely fantastic scene with Jack Black which I will not spoil here.)

One thing that should be stated– this is a film made specifically for fans of Weird Al Yankovic. If you’re not one of them, this movie will not be an enjoyable viewing experience for you. Much like his chosen style of music, The Al Yankovic Story is in an extremely niche genre. If My Bologna gets you pumped, though, Weird: The Al Yankovic Story is a delightful little film.