Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2007)

IMDb plot summary: Singer Dewey Cox overcomes adversity to become a musical legend.

Directed by Jake Kasdan. Starring John C. Reilly, Jenna Fischer, Tim Meadows, and Kristen Wiig.

This was a lot more entertaining that I'd have ever expected it to be. There are so many small, subtle jokes, like the ever-increasing number of babies Kristen Wiig has, that don't have attention called to them but made me smile. The music's pretty good too! John C. Reilly's a pretty competent pop/rock performer, and the songs are just cheesy enough to make them fit in a parody film but just realistic enough to be genuinely enjoyable. As with many comedies more than a few years old, there are a few moments that have NOT aged well, especially regarding some racial stereotype characters, but since the movie relies more on wacky absurdity than cultural references, most of still works. Reilly also does a great job of staying within the character enough that you never feel like he's winking at the camera, and that holds it all together nicely. (I can't say the same for his co-star Jenna Fischer, who is not giving her best performance here.) Overall, I liked it much more than I expected!

How it entered my Flickchart:

Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story > The Misfits

Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story < Key Largo

Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story > Talk Radio

Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story > Waitress

Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story < Manhattan Murder Mystery

Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story > Friday the 13th

Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story > The Hudsucker Proxy

Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story < How to Steal a Million

Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story < Gandhi

Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story < Children of Men

Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story > Thor

Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story > Dangerous Liaisons

Final spot: #972 out of 3376, or 71%.