DVD Review: Walk Hard

Published by Jeff Leins on April 9, 2008

I like to do DVD reviews for movies that were overlooked but once I checked them out, they were actually quality films. My last one was Surf’s Up, which turned out to be a solid little animated movie with a clever angle and excellent voice work.

This week another such movie was released, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story.  It completely bombed at the box office, earning only about half of the $35 budget back domestically, despite roughly 75% positive reviews.

I’m not exactly sure how it got overlooked since it stars John C. Reilly, Jenna Fischer, Tim Meadows, Kristen Wiig, and other comedy cameos.  Plus it was written/produced by 2007’s comedy person of the year, Judd Apatow.  You would thing with those big names attached they could find some way to market this to the right people.

But as much as I’ve complained and lamented the death of parody movies, this intelligent, well-done comedy slipped by me.  It’s extremely funny and doesn’t blatantly rip off material from the musical biopics it’s poking fun at.  If you enjoyed any of Apatow’s other comedies recently or laugh along with SNL, this is your movie.

Its only flaw is that it might be a tad too long.  The laughs keep coming, but after you’ve seen Dewey’s fourth “rock bottom” you’re ready for the extended flashback to end.

Overall, I’d give Walk Hard a 4 out of 5.