"Life made him tough. Love made him strong. Music made him hard..."
From the creative mind behind some of the most acclaimed comedies of recent times comes Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story. With 40 Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up, and Superbad on his CV, Judd Apatow is one of Hollywood's Hottest Producer/Writer/Directors. Having seen and enjoyed those previous works, I was expecting great things. Dewey Cox didn't dissapoint.
This movie takes a different direction to Apatow's previous films. While 40 Year-Old Virgin and Knocked Up were "adult" comedies that surprised many with their sensitivity and pathos, Walk Hard immediately asserts itself as slapstick comedy and is more akin to Anchorman than any of The 'Tow's aforementioned flicks.
The film charts the extraordinary life of simple country boy Dewey Cox, who after a tragic machete accident goes on to become a music legend. In a nod to Forrest Gump, Cox apparently seems to have single-handedly created most of the popular music genres of the 50s, 60s & 70s. We watch our protagonist battle the temptation of drugs and women as he crosses paths with Buddy Holly, Elvis Presley, and The Beatles.
You may have guessed from the title that this is not a subtle, layered comedy. Walk Hard is essentially a 90 minute sktech show and is laden with catchphrases, stereotypes, and running jokes. While that may sound terrible, the film does well not to fall into tedium. The first 10/15 minutes are priceless, and set the tone for the rest of the film. Although the gags are hit and miss, they're funny more times than they not. A geniunely hilarious scene with Jack Black, Paul Rudd, Justin Long, and Jason Schwartzman as The Beatles is a highlight.
While this wasn't the funniest film I've seen and never made me laugh out loud, I thoroughly enjoyed it. It especially liked the fact that Walk Hard did not drag on since EVERY film in 2007, good, bad, or indifferent, ran for 20 minutes too long. If you're a fan of comedies Walk Hard is well worth a trip to the cinema and is released in the UK January 18.
7/10
