Movie Review: Walk Hard

It's strange - about a week after seeing "Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story" I remember exactly three things: John C. Reilly, the great music and the penis.

A quick explanation on the last part - there's a scene in "Walk Hard," where Dewey Cox is in the middle of an orgy immediately after singing a love song about his wife. While he's on the phone with his beloved an unerect, unspectacular penis suddenly appears in the upper right-hand corner of the screen for no reason other than laughs. I laughed hard, so to speak.

There's no metaphor there. "Walk Hard" is what it is - a really good parody along the lines of "Airplane," with the best music of any motion picture this year. About once every two or three years a movie prompts me to go right out and buy the soundtrack. "Walk Hard" was that movie.

First, a word on John C. Reilly. He's the guy you always want to succeed but know he's going to be relegated to supporting roles from now until the end of time. In 'Walk Hard' he takes center stage and really sweats his performance. You can see the care that went into creating Dewey Cox , even though he's a disposable pleasure. Anyone committed to that level of authenticity for a goof, you've got to really appreciate.

All in all "Walk Hard," is really "Airplane" with better music, but oh what music. I can't remember laughing harder this year than I did at "Royal Jelly" the five-minute Bob Dylan tribute that accompanies Dewey's phase where he visits India and communes with the Dhali Lama. The title track is singularly catchy, and there's not a song with the exception of "You've Got to Love Your Negro Man" that I felt was out of place or unwarranted.

I guess, aside from the penis gag, the aspect of Walk Hard that continues to put a smile on my face is the idea that John C. finally got his moment in the sun and even though it was a monumental goof, he ran with it. Ran hard, as it were.

Good movie.