Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story walks so close to the template of I Walk the Line that there should be some shared credit here. And that's a good thing, because the familiarity makes it all the funnier.
John C. Reilly, on a heck of a career trajectory, plays Dewey Cox, a southern country boy who's beginnings are always a pratfall away from those of Johnny Cash. Musicially he's a combination of several rock pioneers, and sure enough his incredibly bland take on rock hits it big, after its proclaimed the devil's music while causing riots.
Cox's (and they get every bit of mileage out the name possible) propels him to the topermost where he hobnobs with the best from Elvis to the Beatles. One of the film's funniest moments is a genius cameo by White Stripe Jack White as Elvis.
The film was written by director Jake Kasden and Judd Apatow who was responsible for 40 Year Old Virgin and Knocked Up among others. And for the most part the humor lives up to Apatow's track record. Honestly, even the times it veers into self parody akin to Scary Movie and Epic Movie, its still pretty damned funny.
And the primary reason is Reilly who is turning out to be the comic genius of the decade. His native innocence and likeability make Dewey a character impossible to dislike. I can't imagine many actors who could have pulled off Dewey's "Dylan" period without making it look like schtick like Reilly does.
Jenna Fisher is a worthy foil in the "Reese Witherspoon" role. She's equal parts sexy and send-up. Her duet with Reilly, where a pregnant pause in each verse repeatedly hits the mark ("In my dreams you're blowing me...kisses"), is near perfection.
Still, Walk Hard is a bit disappointing. The previews promised sharper, more pointed satire instead of the generally large canvas laughs that come here. With the people involved, it seems the road taken was the easy one. Thankfully its a road rutted with a lot of laughs.
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