Weird: The Al Yankovic Story is a 2022 American biographical parody film directed by Eric Appel (in his feature directorial debut), who co-wrote the script with “Weird Al” Yankovic. The film, a satire of biopics and loosely based on Yankovic’s life and career, stars Daniel Radcliffe as Yankovic, along with Evan Rachel Wood, Rainn Wilson, Toby Huss, Arturo Castro, and Julianne Nicholson in supporting roles.
Weird is the just desserts for the spate of music biopics we have been saddled with in recent times. We’ve had ones about Freddie Mercury (Bohemian Rhapsody), Elton John (Rocket Man), Bowie (Stardust) and Elvis (erm… Elvis) so it makes sense that the #1 parody songwriter of all time, should have a parody biopic of his own, don’t you think? And it’s a rollicking good time throughout!
Sure, Weird bakes in certain true events into the mix but by and large this biopic has little to do with the truth. So, like most biopics then, you might think! Which is, of course, what makes this so delightfully hilarious. If you are complaining about the fact that it’s a parody, well do you really believe that the aforementioned biopics were accurate? C’mon.
Some of the comedic elements that truly hit home with us were pure gold. Yankovic sneaking out from home to go to a high school polka party, Yankovic turning down an offer from Queen to perform “Another One Rides the Bus” at the Wembley Live Aid concert, “Eat It” being an original song which Michael Jackson then turns into “Beat It”, a parody song and Yankovic killing Pablo Escobar and gang in the Colombian jungle in order to save his girlfriend, Madonna (raucously played by Evan Rachel Wood). Kudos also to Daniel Radcliffe for doing a brilliant job sending up Yankovic in this zany comedy.
If you loved Everything Everywhere All At Once for its absurdist humour, then you will love Weird!
Watch Weird on Roku now.
… still there’s more …