Weird: The Al Yankovic Story

It turns out bullshit really can be entertaining bullshit—up to a point. So it is here with this nearly totally made up biopic of the legendary parody songster. There are a handful of laugh out loud moments in this flick, especially for a Dr. Demento listener from way back in the day, though most of the funniest stuff comes from Al’s old songs, not from the movie’s original jokes. It’s apparent from the very start that this work gets stuck between going too far and not far enough. And then the whole thing really loses its track in a long, overdone, and not especially inspired joke about Madonna. And then, further, the movie is not helped by being shown by and on Roku, thanks to the numerous commercial breaks, which kill a lot of the momentum; ironically, the very company that brought the work to life is its own worst enemy. (The movie may be a better viewed on disc for a more enjoyable experience.) Ultimately, the total package here is one that is mostly entertaining, but could have been much much more than it is.

In the Heights

True fact: most "heights" back east aren't really all that high--ones in New York City included. There's already an interesting dynamic swirling around this film, which I should probably avoid in this review--not because it's third-rail stuff (it's mostly just stupidity), but because I prefer to judge films simply on their own merit (as best that can be achieved) within their own context (ditto). Here goes: we have real strengths in this flick, mostly in the talented, charismatic presences of the principle leads: Anthony Ramos, Melissa Barrera, Corey Hawkins (who may be the most talented actor on the scene today) and Leslie Grace more than acquit themselves well, giving inspired performances both musical and dramatic. That's the good. The "not exactly bad but troubling enough to keep popping into mind during the running time" part lies in a certain incongruity between the message of most of the movie and its ultimate conclusion, especially in terms of the former being expressed throughout in the sentiments of the characters. That's a bit complicated, I know, but watch it and you'll get what I mean (trying to avoid spoilers). Also, there's definitely a vibe here--mentioned before in this space in other contexts--of people who think problems can be solved simply by dancing. They can't. So in a superficial sense, there's a rollicking good time here, along with a few moments of major pathos, that many will enjoy without a critical thought. But you have to wonder, ultimately, if these people really have their minds made up about their situation, or if it's just an infinite loop that holds them (literally) in place. Thus, "heights" perhaps, but hardly Olympian in stature.